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COMMENTARY 



EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS. 



BY 



CHARLES HODGE, 

PROFESSOK OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE IN THE THEOLOGlCA^i SEMINARY 
AT PRINCETON. 



ABRIDGED BY THE AUTHOR, 
FOR THE USE OF SUNDAY-SCHOOLS AND BIBLE-CLASSES. 



TWELFTH EDITION. 



PHILADELPHIA: 
PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM S. MARTIEN, 

No. 144 CHESTNUT STREET. 

185L 



-6^ 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1836, by 

Chakles Hodge, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of New Jersey. 



INTRODUCTION. 



When Paul and the other apostles were called to enter upon their 
important duties, the world was in a deplorable and yet most interesting 
state. Both Heathenism and Judaism were in the last stages of decay. 
The polytheism of the Greeks and Romans had been carried to such an 
extent as to shock the common sense of mankind, and to lead the more 
intelligent among them openly to reject and ridicule it. This skepticism 
had already extended itself to the mass of the people, and become almost 
universal. As the transition from infidelity to superstition is certain, and 
generally immediate, all classes of the people were disposed to confide 
in dreams, enchantments, and other miserable substitutes for religion. 
The two reigning systems of philosophy, the Stoic and Platonic, were 
alike insufficient to satisfy the agitated minds of men. The former 
sternly repressed the best natural feelings of the soul, inculcating nothing 
but a blind resignation to the unalterable course of things, and promising 
nothing beyond an unconscious existence hereafter. The latter regarded 
all religions as but different forms of expressing the same general truths, 
and represented the whole mythological system as an allegory, as incom- 
prehensible to the common people as the pages of a book, to those who 
canifot read. This system promised more than it could accomplish. It 
excited feelings which it could not satisfy, and thus contributed to pro- 
duce that general ferment which existed at this period. Among the 
Jews, generally, the state of things was hardly much better. They had, 
indeed, the form of true religion, but were in a great measure destitute 
of its spirit. The Pharisees were contented with the form ; the Saddu- 
cees were skeptics ; the Essenes were enthusiasts and mystics. Such 
being the state of the world, men were led to feel the need of some surer 
guide than either reason or tradition, and some better foundation of confi- 
dence than either heathen philosophers or Jewish sects could afford. 
Hence, when the glorious gospel was revealed, thousands of hearts, in all 
parts of the world, were prepared by the grace of God to exclaim. This is 
all our desire and all our salvation. 

The history of the apostle Paul shows that he was prepared to act in 
such a state of society. In the first place, he was born and probably 
educated, in part, at Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia ; a city almost on a level 
with Athens and Alexandria for its literary zeal and advantages. In one 

3 



4 INTRODUCTION. 

respect, it is said by ancient writers to have been superior to either of 
them. In the other cities mentioned, the majority of students were 
strangers, but in Tarsus they were the inhabitants themselves.* That 
Paul passed the early part of his life here is probable, because the trade 
which he was taught, in accordance with the custom of the Jews, was 
one peculiarly common in Cilicia. From the hair of the goats, with 
which that province abounded, a rough cloth was made, which was much 
used in the manufacture of tents. The knowledge which the apostle 
manifests of the Greek authors, 1 Cor. 15 : 33. Tit. 1 : 12, would also 
lead us to suppose that he had received at least part of his education in a 
Grecian city. Many of his characteristics, as a writer, lead to the same 
conclusion. He pursues far more than any other of the sacred writers of 
purely Jewish education, the logical method of presenting truth. There 
is almost always a regular concatenation in his discourses, evincing the 
spontaneous exercise of a disciplined mind, even when not carrying out a 
previous plan. His epistles, therefore, are far more logical than ordinary 
letters, without the formality of regular dissertations. Another charac- 
teristic of his manner is, that in discussing any question, he always pre- 
sents the ultimate principle on which the decision depends. These and 
similar characteristics of this apostle are commonly, and probably with 
justice, ascribed partly to his turn of mind and partly to his early educa- 
tion. We learn from the Scriptures themselves, that the Holy Spirit, in 
employing men as his instruments in conveying truth, did not change 
their mental habits ; he did not make Jews write like Greeks, or force all 
into the same mould. Each retained his own peculiarities of style and 
manner, and, therefore, whatever is peculiar in each, is to be referred, not 
to his inspiration, but to his original character and culture. While the 
circumstances just referred to render it probable that the apostle's habits 
of mind were in some measure influenced by his birth and early educa- 
tion in Tarsus, there are others (such as the general character of his 
style) which show that his residence there could not have been long, and 
that his education was not thoroughly Grecian. We learn from himself 
that he was principally educated at Jerusalem, being brought up, as he 
says, at the feet of Gamaliel, (Acts 22 : 3.) This is the second circum- 
stance in the providential preparation of the apostle for his work, which 
is worthy of notice. As Luther was educated in a Catholic seminary, 
and thoroughly instructed in the scholastic theology of which he was to 
be the great opposer, so the apostle Paul was initiated into all the doc- 
trines and modes of reasoning of the Jews, with whom his principal con- 
troversy was to be carried on. The early adversaries of the gospel were 
all Jews. Even in the heathen cities they were so numerous, that it 
was through them and their proselytes that the church in such places was 
founded. We find therefore, that in almost all his epistles, the apostle 
contends with Jewish errorists, the corrupters of the gospel by means of 
Jewish doctrines. Paul, the most extensively useful of all the apostles, 

Strabo, lib. 14. ch. 5. 



INTRODUCTION. 5 

was thus a thoroughly educated man ; a man educated with a special 
view to the work which he was called to perform. We find, therefore, 
in this, as in most similar cases, that God effects his purposes by those 
instruments which he has, in the ordinary course of his providence, spe- 
cially fitted for their accomplishment. In the third place, Paul was con- 
verted without the intervention of human instrumentality, and was taught 
the gospel by immediate revelation. " I certify you, brethren," he says 
to the Galatians, " that the gospel which was preached of me, was not 
after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by 
the revelation of Jesus Christ." These circumstances are important, as 
he was thus placed completely on a level with the other apostles. He 
had seen the Lord Jesus, and could, therefore, be one of the witnesses 
of his resurrection ; he was able to claim the authority of an original 
inspired teacher and messenger of God. It is obvious that he laid great 
stress upon this point, from the frequency with which he refers to it. He 
was thus furnished not only with the advantages of his early education, 
but with the authority and power of an apostle of Jesus Christ. 

His natural character was ardent, energetic, uncompromising, and 
severe. How his extravagance and violence were subdued by the grace 
of God is abundantly evident from the moderation, mildness, tenderness, 
and conciliation manifested in all his epistles. Absorbed in the one 
object of glorifying Christ, he was ready to submit to any thing, and to 
yield any thing necessary for this purpose. He no longer insisted that 
others should think and act just as he did ; so that they obeyed Christ, 
he was satisfied, and he willingly conformed to their prejudices and tole- 
rated their errors, so far as the cause of truth and righteousness allowed. 
By his early education, by his miraculous conversion and inspiration, by 
his natural disposition, and by the abundant grace of God was this apos- 
tle fitted for his work, and sustained under his multiplied and arduous 
labours. 

ORIGIN AND CONDITION OF THE CHURCH AT ROME. 

One of the providential circumstances which most effectually contri- 
buted to the early propagation of Christianity, was the dispersion of the 
Jews among surrounding nations. They were widely scattered through 
the East, Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, Greece and Italy, especially at 
Rome. As they were permitted, throughout the wide extent of the 
Roman empire, to worship God according to the traditions of their 
fathers, synagogues were every where established in the midst of the 
heathen. The apostles, being Jews, had thus every where a ready access 
to the people. The synagogues furnished a convenient place for regular 
assemblies, without attracting the attention or exciting the suspicion of 
the civil authorities. In these assemblies they were sure of meeting not 
only Jews, but the heathen also, and precisely the class of heathen best 
prepared for the reception of the gospel. The infinite superiority of the 

a2 



I 



6 INTRODUCTION. 

pure theism of the Old Testament scriptures to any form of religion 
known to the ancients, could not fail to attract and convince multitudes 
among the pagans, wherever the Jewish worship was established. Such 
persons became either proselytes or " devout," that is, worshippers of 
the true God. Being free from the inveterate national and religious pre- 
judices of the Jews, and at the same time convinced of the falsehood of 
polytheism, they were the most susceptible of all the early hearers of the 
gospel. It was by converts from among this class of persons, that the 
churches in all the heathen cities were in a great measure founded. 
There is abundant evidence that the Jews were very numerous at Rome, 
and that the class of proselytes or devout persons among the Romans 
was also very large. Philo says (Legatio in Caium,- p. 1041, ed. 
Frankf.) that Augustus had assigned the Jews a large district beyond the 
Tiber for their residence. He accounts for their being so numerous from 
the fact that the captives carried thither by Pompey were liberated by 
their masters, who found it inconvenient to have servants who adhered 
so strictly to a religion which forbade constant and familiar intercourse 
with the heathen. Dion Cassius (lib. 60, c. 6) mentions that the Jews 
were so numerous at Rome that Claudius was at first afraid to banish 
them, but contented himself with forbidding their assembling together. 
That he afterwards, on account of the tumults which they occasioned, 
did banish them from the city, is mentioned by Suetonius (Vita Claudii, 
c. 25), and by Luke, Acts 18 : 3. That the Jews on the death of Clau- 
dius returned to Rome, is evident from the fact that Suetonius and Dion 
Cassius speak of their being very numerous under the following reigns ; 
and also from the contents of this epistle, especially the salutations in 
ch. 16, addressed to Jewish Christians. 

That the establishment of the Jewish worship at Rome had produced • 
considerable effect on the Romans, is clear from the statements of the 
heathen writers themselves. Ovid speaks of the synagogues as places 
of fashionable resort ; Juvenal (Satire 14) ridicules his countrymen for 
becoming Jews ; and Tacitus (Hist. lib. 5, ch. 5) refers to the presents 
sent by Roman proselytes to Jerusalem. The way was thus prepared for 
the early reception and rapid extension of Christianity in the imperial 
city. When the gospel was first introduced there, or by whom the 
introduction was effected, is unknown. Such was the constant inter- 
course between Rome and the provinces, that it is not surprising that 
some of the numerous converts to Christianity made in Judea, Asia Mi- 
nor, and Greece, should at an early period find their way to the capital. 
It is not impossible that many, who had enjoyed the personal ministry of 
Christ, and believed in his doctrines, might have removed or returned to 
Rome, and been the first to teach the gospel in that city. Still less im- 
probable is it, that among the multitudes present at Jerusalem at the day 
of Pentecost, among whom were " strangers of Rome, Jews and prose- 
lytes," there were some who carried back the knowledge of the gospel. 
That the introduction of Christianity occurred at an Ciirly period may bo 



INTRODUCTION. ^ 7 

'nferred not only from the probabilities just referred to, but from other 
circumstances. When Paul wrote this epistle, the faith of the Romans 
was spoken of throughout the world, which would seem to imply that 
the church had already been long- established. Aquila and Priscilla, 
who left Rome on account of the decree of Claudius banishing the Jews, 
were probably Christians before their departure; nothing at least is said 
of their having been converted by the apostle. He found them at Corinth, 
and being of the same trade, he abode with them, and on his departure 
took them with him into Syria. 

The tradition of some of the ancient fathers that Peter was the 
founder of the church at Rome is inconsistent with the statements given 
in the Acts of the Apostles. Irenaeus (Haeres. 1X1. 1.) says, that 
" Matthew wrote his gospel, while Peter and Paul were in Rome preach- 
ing the gospel and founding the church there." And Eusebius (Chron. 
ad ann. 2 Claudii) says, "Peter having founded the church at Antioch, 
departed for Rome, preaching the gospel." Both these statements are 
incorrect. Peter did not found the church at Antioch, nor did he and 
Paul preach together at Rome. That Peter was not at Rome prior to 
Paul's visit appears from the entire silence of this epistle on the subject; 
and from no mention being made of the fact in any of the letters written 
from Rome by Paul during his imprisonment. The tradition that Peter 
ever was at Rome rests on very uncertain authority. It is first mentioned 
by Dionysius of Corinth in the latter half of the second century, and 
from that time it seems to have been generally received. The account is 
in itself improbable, as Peter's field of labour was in the east, about 
Babylon; and as the statement of Dionysius is full of inaccuracies. He 
makes Peter and Paul the founders of the church at Corinth, and makes 
the same assertion regarding the church at Rome, neither of which is 
true. He also says that Paul and Peter suffered martyrdom at the same 
time at Rome, which, from the silence of Paul respecting Peter during 
his last imprisonment, is in the highest degree improbable. History, 
therefore, has left us ignorant of the time when this church was founded, 
and the persons by whom the work was effected. 

The condition of the congregation may be inferred from the circum- 
stances already mentioned, and from the drift of the apostle's letter. As 
the Jews and proselytes were very numerous at Rome, the early converts ' 
as might be expected, were from both these classes. The latter, how 
ever, seem greatly to have predominated, because we find no such evi 
dence of a tendency to Judaism as is supposed in the epistle to the Gala- 
tians. Paul nowhere seems to apprehend that the church at Rome would 
apostatize as the Galatian Christians had alreadj'^done. And in chapters 
14 and 15, his exhortations imply that the Gentile party were more in 
danger of oppressing the Jewish, than the reverse. Paul, therefore, writes 
to them as Gentiles (ch. 1 : 13), and claims, in virtue of his office as 
apostle of the Gentiles, the right to address them with all freedom and 
authority (15: 16). The congregation, Lowever, was not composed 



8 INTRODUCTION. 

exclusively of this class ; many converts, originally Jews, were included 
in their numbers, and those belonging to the other class were more or less 
under the influence of Jewish opinions. The apostle, therefore, in this, 
as in all his other epistles addressed to congregations similarly situatea, 
refutes those doctrines of the Jews which were inconsistent with the gos- 
pel, and answers those objections, which they and those under their 
influence were accustomed to urge against it. These different elements 
of the early churches were almost always in conflict, both as to points of 
doctrine and discipline. The Jews insisted, to a greater or less extent, 
on their peculiarx privileges and customs, and the Gentiles disregarded, 
and at times despised the scruples and prejudices of their weaker brethren. 
The opinions of the Jews particularly controverted in this epistle are, 
1. That connexion with Abraham by natural descent and by the bond of 
circumcision, together with the observance of the law, is sufficient to 
secure the favour of God. 2. That the blessings of the Messiah's reign 
were to be confined to Jews and those who would consent to become pro- 
selytes. 3. That subjection to heathen magistrates was inconsistent with 
the dignity of the people of God, and with their duty to the Messiah as 
king. There are clear indications in other parts of Scripture, as well as 
in their own writings, that the Jews placed their chief dependence upon 
the covenant of God with Abraham, and the peculiar rites and ordinances 
connected with it. Our Saviour, when speaking to the Jews, tells them, 
"Say not, we have Abraham to our father; for I say unto you, that God 
is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." Luke 3 : 8. 
It is clearly implied in this passage, that the Jews supposed, that to have 
Abraham as their father was sufficient to secure the favour of God. The 
Rabbins taught that God had promised Abraham that his descendants, 
though wicked, should be saved on account of his merit. Justin Martyr 
mentions this as the ground of confidence of the Jews in his day. " Your 
Rabbins," he says, " deceive themselves and us in supposing that the 
kingdom of heaven is prepared for all those who are the natural seed of 
Abraham, even though they be sinners and unbelievers." {Dialogue with 
Trypho.') They were accustomed to say, " Great is the virtue of circum- 
cision ; no circumcised person enters hell." And one of their standing 
maxims was, " All Israel hath part in eternal life." 

The second leading error of the Jews was a natural result of the one 
just referred to. If salvation was secured by connexion with Abraham, 
then none who were not united to their great ancestor could be saved. 
There is no opinion of the Jew:s more conspicuous in the sacred writings, 
than that they were greatly superior to the Gentiles, that the theocracy 
and all its blessings belonged to them, and that others could attain even 
an inferior station in the kingdom of the Messiah only by becoming 
Jews. 

The indisposition of the Jews to submit to heathen magistrates 
arose partly from their high ideas of their own dignity and their con- 
tempt for other nations, partly from their erroneous opinions of the nature 



INTRODUCTION. . 9 

of 'le Messiah's kingdom, and partly, no doubt, from the peculiar liard- 
shis and oppressions to which they were exposed. The prevalence of 
thiandisposition among them is proved by its being a matter of discus- 
sioiwhether it was even lawful to pay tribute to Caesar ; by their asser- 
tiorthat, as Abraham's seed, they were never in bondage to any man ; 
and)y their constant tumults and rebellions, which led first to their ba- 
nishent from Rome, and, finally, to the utter destruction of their city. 
Th(circumatances of the church at Rome, composed of both Jewish and 
Geiile converts ; surrounded by Jews who still insisted on the necessity 
of (rcumcision, of legal obedience, and of connexion with the family of 
Abiham in order to salvation, and disposed on many points to diifer 
amig themselves ; sufficiently account for the character of this epistle. 

TIME AND PLACE OF ITS COMPOSITION. 

jiere are no sufficient data for fixing accurately and certainly the 
chmology of the life and writings of the apostle Paul. It is therefore, 
in lost cases, only by a comparison of various circumstances that an 
appximation to the date of the principal events of his life can be made. 
Wh regard to this epistle, it is plain, from its contents, that it was 
witen just as Paul was about to set out on his last journey to Jerusa- 
lei. In the fifteenth chapter he says that the Christians of Macedonia 
anAchaia had made a collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem, and 
th;he was on the eve of his departure for that city (v. 25). This same 
jorney is mentioned in Acts 20, and occurred most probably in the 
spng (see Acts 20 : 16) of the year 58 or 59. This date best suits the 
aount of his long imprisonment, first at Cesarea and then at Rome, of 
fo: years, and his probable liberation in 62 or 63. His subsequent la- 
bors and second imprisonment would fill up the intervening period of 
tv» or three years to the date of his martyrdom, towards the close of the 
rqn of Nero. That this epistle was written from Corinth appears from 
th special recommendation of Phebe, a deaconess of the neighbouring 
elirch, who was probably the bearer of the letter (ch. 16 : 1) ; from the 
saltations of Erastus and Gains, both residents of Corinth, to the Ro- 
mns (cV, 16 : 23) ; compare 2 Tim. 4 : 20, and 1 Cor. 1 : 14 ; and from 
tb accoum<yiven in Acts 20 : 2, 3, of Paul's journey through Macedoni 
iiKO Greece, before his departure for Jerusalem, for the purpose of carry 
iig the contributi..,^g of the churches for the poor in that city. 

^^■^ENTICITY OF THE EPISTLE. ' 

That this epistle was wx.^g^ ^^^ ^^^ apostle Paul, admits of no rea- 
sonable doubt. 1. It in the h..^ place purports to be his. It bears his 
signature, and speaks througho. -^ j^-g ^ame. 2. It has uniformly 
been recognised as his. From tL apostolic age to the present time 
it has been referred to and quoted ,^ ^ regular series of authors, and 



10 INTRODUCTION. i 

recognised as of divine authoTity in all the churches. It would b<re» 
quisite, in order to disprove its authenticity, to account satisfactciily 
for these facts, on the supposition of the epistle being spurious. ;he 
passages in the early writers, in which this epistle is alluded to or cisd, 
are very numerous, and may be seen in Lardner's Cnxdihility, Volll 
3. The internal evidence is no less decisive in its favour, (a) Inthe 
first place, it is evidently the production of a Jew, familiar with the 'le- 
brew text and the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, becausethe 
language and style are such as no one, not thus circumstanced, culd 
adopt; and because the whole letter evinces such an intimate acqumt- 
ance with Jewish opinions and prejudices, (h) It agrees perfecti in 
style and manner with the other epistles of this apostle, (c) It is, irtho 
truth and importance of its doctrines, and in the elevation and puritof 
its sentiments, immeasurably superior to any uninspired productiolof 
the age in which it appeared. A comparison of the genuine aposlic 
writings with the spurious productions of the first and second centu^s, 
affords one of the strongest collateral evidences of the authenticity lid 
inspiration of the former, (c?) The incidental or undesigned co$i 
dences, as to matters of fact, between this epistle and other parts of^e 
New Testament, are such as to afford the clearest evidence of its ha'^g 
proceeded from the pen of the apostle. Compare Rom. 15 : 25 — 31 \^h 
Acts 20 : 2, 3. 24 : 17. 1 Cor. 16 : 1—4. 2 Cor. 8 : 1—4. 9 : 2. R(ii. 
16 : 21—23 with Acts 20 : 4. Rom. 16 : 3, et seqq. with Acts 18 : 2j8 
—26. 1 Cor. 16 : 19, &c. (see Paley's Horse Paulinae.) 4. Besils 
these positive proofs, there is the important negative consideration, lit 
there are no grounds for questioning its authenticity. There are no ^- 
crepancies between this and other sacred writings ; no counter testimcy 
among the early fathers ; no historical or critical difficulties which mit 
be solved before it can be recognised as the work of Paul. There i, 
therefore, no book in the Bible, and there is no ancient book in the won, 
of which the authenticity is more certain than that of this epistle. 1 

ANALYSIS OF THE EPISTLE. I 

The epistle consists of three parts. The first, which includf^ the mt 
eight chapters, is occupied in the discussion of the doctrine <^f justifid- 
tion and its consequences. The second, embracing chapters 9, 10, l\j 
treats of the calling of the Gentiles, the rejection anr'^uture conversioi 
of the Jews. The third consists of practical exhort?>-^°"s and salutation^ 
to the Christians at Rome. 

The first part the apostle commences by -^^^ting the Roman Chris- 
tians, commending them for their faith, an'"^-^P^®^^^"g" ^is desire to see 
them, and his readiness to preach the g-"?®^ ^^ Rome. This readiness 
was founded on the conviction that thK°^Pf ^ revealed the only method 
by which men can be saved, viz. b ^^^^^ ^"^ J^sus Christ, and this me- 



INTRODUCTION. li 

Ihod is equally applicable to all mankind, Gentiles as well as Jewis, eh. 
1 : 1 — 17. Paul thus introduces the two leading topics of the episile. 

In order to establish his doctrine respecting justification, he first proves 
that the Gentiles cannot be justified by their own works, ch. 1 : 18 — 39 ; 
and then establishes the same position in reference to the Jews, ch. 2, 
3 : 1 — 20. Having thus shown that the method of justification by works 
was unavailable for sinners, he unfolds that method which is taught in 
the gospel, ch. 3 : 21 — 31. The truth and excellence of this method he 
confirns in chs. 4th and 5th. The obvious objection to the doctrine of 
gratuitous acceptance, that it must lead to the indulgence of sin, is an- 
swered, and the true design and operation of the law are exhibited in 
cts. 6th and 7th; and the complete security of all who confide in Christ 
is beautifully unfolded in ch. 8. 

In arguing against the Gentiles, Paul assumes the principle that God 
will punish sin, ch. 1 : 18, and then proves that they are justly chargeable 
both with impiety and immorality, because, though they possessed a 
competent knowledge of God, they did not worship him, but turned unto 
idols, and gave themselves up to all kinds of iniquity, ch. 1 : 19 — 32. 

He commences his argument vdth the Jews by expanding the general 
principle of the divine justice, and especially insisting on God's impar- 
tiality by showing that he will judge all men, Jews and Gentiles, ac- 
cording to their works, and according to the light they severally enjoyed, 
ch. 2 : 1 — 16. He shows that the Jews, when tried by these rules, are 
as justly and certainly exposed to condemnation as the Gentiles, ch. 2 ; 
17—29. 

The peculiar privileges of the Jews afibrd no ground of hope that they 
will escape being judged on the same principles with other men, and 
when thus judged they are found to be guilty before God. All men, 
therefore, are, as the Scriptures abundantly teach, under condemnation, 
and, consequently, cannot be justified by their own works, ch. 3 : 1 — 20. 

The gospel proposes the only method by which God will justify men ; 
a method which is entirely gratuitous ; the condition of which is faith ; 
which is founded on the redemption of Christ ; which reconciles the 
justice and mercy of God, humbles man, lays the foundation for a uni- 
versal religion, and establishes the law, ch. 3 : 21 — 31. 

The truth of this doctrine is evinced from the example of Abraham, 
the testimony of David, the nature of the covenant made with Abraham 
and his seed, and from the nature of the law. He proposes the con- 
duct of Abraham as an example and encouragement to Christians, ch. 
4 : 1—25. 

Justification by faith in Christ secures peace with God, present joy, 
and the assurance of eternal life, ch. 5 : 1 — 11. The method, therefore, 
by which God proposes to save sinners, is analogous to that by which 
they were first brought under condemnation. As pn account of the offence 
of one, sentence has passed on all men to condemnation ; so on accoun 
of the righteousness of one, all are justified, ch. 5: 12 — 21. 



12 INTRODUCTION. 

The doctrine of the gratuitous justification of sinners cannot lead to 
the indulgence of sin, because such is the nature of union with Christ 
and such the object for which he died, that all who receive the benefits 
of his death experience the sanctifying influence of his life, ch. 6 : I — 1 1 
Besides, the objection in question is founded on a misapprehension of the 
eflfect and design of the law, and of the nature of sanctification. Deli- 
verance from the bondage of the law and from a legal spirit is essential tc 
holiness. When the Christian is delivered from this bondaje, he 
becomes the servant of God, and is brought under an influence which 
effectually secures his obedience, ch. 6 : 12 — 23. 

As, therefore, a woman, in order to be married to a second husband, 
must first be freed from her former one, so the Christian, in order to be 
united to Christ and to bring forth fruit unto God, must first be freed 
from the law, ch. 7 : 1 — 6. 

This necessity of deliverance from the law, does not arise from the fact 
that the law is evil, but from the nature of the case. The law is bu: the 
authoritative declaration of duty; which cannot alter the state of the 
sinner's heart. Its real operation is to produce the conviction of sin 
(vs. 7 — 13), and, in the renewed mind, to excite approbation and compla- 
cency in the excellence which it exhibits, but it cannot effectually secure 
the destruction of sin. This can only be done by the grace of Goa in 
Jesus Christ, ch. 7 : 7 — 25. 

Those who are in Christ, therefore, are perfectly safe. They are freed 
from the law ; they have the indwelling of the life-giving Spirit ; they 
are the children of God ; they are chosen, called, and justified according 
to the divine purpose ; and they are the objects of the unchanging love 
of God, ch. 8: 1—39. 

The second part of the epistle relates to the persons to whom the 
blessings of Christ's kingdom may properly be offered, and the purposes 
of God respecting the Jews. In entering upon this subject, the apostle, 
after assuring his kindred of his aflfection, establishes the position that 
God has not bound himself to regard as his children all the natural 
descendants of Abraham, but is at perfect liberty to choose whom he 
will to be heirs of his kingdom. The right of God to have mercy on 
whom he will have mercy, he proves from the declarations of Scripture 
and from the dispensations of his providence. He shows that this doc- 
trine of the divine sovereignty is not inconsistent with the divine cha- 
racter or man's responsibility, because God simply chooses from among 
the undeserving whom he will as the objects of his mercy, and leaves 
others to the just recompense of their sins, ch. 9 : 1 — 24. 

God accordingly predicted of old that he would call the Gentiles and 
reject the Jews. The rejection of the Jews was on account of their 
unbelief, ch. 9 : 25—33. 10 : 1 — 5. The two methods of justification 
are then contrasted, for .the purpose of showing that the legal method is 
impracticable, but that the method proposed in the gospel is simple and 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

easy, and adapted to all men. It should, therefore, agreeably to the 
revealed purpose of God, be preached to all men, ch. 10 : 6—21. 

The rejection of the Jews is not total ; many of that generation were 
brought into the church, who were of the election of grace, ch. 11 : 1 — 10. 
Neither is this rejection final. There is to be a future and general con- 
version of the Jews to Christ, and thus all Israel shall be saved, ch. 11 : 
11—36. 

The third or practical part of the epistle, consists of directions, first, 
as to the general duties of Christians in their various relations to God, 
ch. 12 ; secondly, as to their political or civil duties, ch. 13 ; and, thirdly, 
as to their ecclesiastical duties, or those duties which they owe to each 
other as members of the church, ch. 14. 15 : 1 — 13. 

The epistle concludes with some account of Paul's labours and pur- 
poses, ch. 15 : 14 — 33, and with the usual salutations, ch. 16. 



COMMENTARY ON THE ROMANS. 



CHAPTER I. 



CONTENTS, 

This chapter consists of two parts. The first extends to the close of 
V. 17, and contains the general introduction to the epistle. The second 
commences with v. 18, and extends to the close of the chapter : it con- 
tains the argument of the apostle to prove that the declaration contained 
in vs. 16, 17, that justification can only be obtained by faith, is true with 
reg-ard to the heathen. 

CHAP. 1 : 1—17. 

*Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to he an apostle, separated 
unto the gospel of God, ^(which he had promised afore by his prophets 
irf the holy scriptures,) ^concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, 
which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, *and 
declared to he the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holi- 
ness, by the resurrection from the dead : ^by whom we have received 
grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for 
his name : ^among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ : ''to all 
that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to he saints : Grace to you and 
peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. ^First, I thank 
my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of 
throughout the whole world. ^For God is my witness, whom I serve 
with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make 
mention of you always in my prayers ; "^"making request, if by any 
means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of 
God to come unto you. ^^For I long to see you, that I may impart 
unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established ; ^^that is, 
that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of 
you and me. ^^jvf q^ j would not have you ignorant, brethren, that often- 
times I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might 
have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. ^*I am 
debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians ; both to the wise, and 
to the unwise. ^^^So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gos- 
pel to you that are at Rome also. *^For I am not ashamed of the gospei 

15 



k 



16 ROMANS 1: 1—17. 

of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that 
believeth ; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. ^''For therein is the 
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith : as it is written, The 
just shall live by faith. 

ANALYSIS. 

This section consists of two parts. The first, from v. 1 to 7 inclusive 
is a salutatory address ; the second, from v. 8 to 17, is the introduction to 
the epistle. Paul commences by announcing himself as a divinely com- 
missioned teacher, set apart to the preaching of the gospel, v. 1. Of this 
gospel, he says, 1. That it was promised, and of course partially exhi- 
bited in the Old Testament, v. 2. 2. That its great subject was Jesus 
Christ, V. 3. Of Christ he says, that he was, as to his human nature, the 
Son of David; but as to his divine nature, the Son of God, vs. 3, 4. 
From this divine person he had received his office as an apostle. The 
object of this office was to bring men to believe the gospel ; and it contem- 
plated all nations as the field of its labour, v. 5. Of course the Romans 
w^ere included, v. 6. To the Romar Christians, therefore, he wishes 
grace and peace, v. 7. Thus far the salutation. 

Having shown in what character, and by what right he addressed 
them, the apostle introduces the subject of his letter by expressing to 
them his respect and affection. He thanks God not only that they 
believed, but that their faith was universally known and talked of, v. 9 
As an evidence of his concern for them, he mentions, 1. That he 
prayed for them constantly, v. 9. 2. That he longed to see them, vs. 
10, 11. 3. That this wish to see them arose from a desire to do them 
good, and to reap some fruit of his ministry among them, as well as 
among other Gentiles, vs. 12, 13. Because he was under obligation to 
preach to all men, wise and unwise, he was therefore ready to preach 
even at Rome, vs. 14, 15. This readiness to preach arose from the high 
estimate he entertained of the gospel. And his reverence for the gospel 
was founded not on its excellent system of morals merely, but on its effi- 
cacy in saving all who believe, whether Jews or Gentiles, v. 16. This 
efficacy of the gospel arises from its teaching the true method of justifica- 
tion, that is, the method of justification by faith, v. 17. It will be per- 
ceived how naturally and skilfully the apostle introduces the two great 
subjects of the epistle — the method of salvation, and the persons to whom 
it may properly be offered. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated ttnto 
the gospel of God. The apostle's original name was Saul, the demanded^ 
or asked for. It was common among the Jews and other oriental nations 
■o change the names of individuals on the occurrence of any remarkable 
event in their lives, as in the case of Abraham and Jacob, Gen. 17:5 



ROMANS 1 : 1—17. 17 

32 : 28. This was especially the case when the individual was advanced 
to some new office or dignity, Gen. 41 : 45. Dan. 1 : 6, 7. Hence a 
new name is sometimes equivalent to a new dignity, Apoc. 2:17. As 
Paul seems to have received this name shortly after he entered on his 
duties as an apostle, it is often supposed, and not improbably, that it was 
on account of this call that his name was changed. Thus Simon, when 
chosen to be an apostle, was called Cephas or Peter, John 1 : 42. Matt, 
10:2. Since, however, it was very common for those Jews who associ- 
ated much with foreigners to have two names, one Jewish and the other 
Greek or Roman; sometimes entirely distinct, as Hillel and Pollio; 
sometimes nearly related, as Silas and Silvanus, it is perhaps more proba- 
ble that the apostle was called Saul among the Jews, and Paul among 
the heathen. As he was the apostle of the Gentiles, and all his epistles, 
except that to the Hebrews, were addressed to churches founded among 
the heathen, it is not wonderful that he constantly called himself Paul 
instead of Saul. He styles himself « servant of Jesus Christ. This term 
IS often used to express the relation in which, under the New Testament, 
the apostles stood to Christ, as in Gal. 1 : 10. Phil. 1 : 1, &c., as in the 
Old Testament the phrase servant of God expresses. the relation in which 
any one employed in his special service stood to God, Josh. 24 : 29. 
Num. 12 : 7. Judges 2 : 8, &c. &c. It is therefore a general official 
designation. 

Called an apostle. The word rendered called, means also chosen, ap- 
pointed, see vs. 6 and 7 of this chapter. 1 Cor. 1 : 1. and 24. Rom. 8 : 28. 
compare Isaiah 48 : 12. " Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel my 
called," i. e. my chosen. 51: 2. 42 : 6. In the epistles of the New Testa- 
ment this word is rarely if ever used in reference to one externally called 
or invited to any office or blessing, but uniformly expresses the idea of 
an effectual calling, or of a selection and appointment. Paul begins 
several of his epistles by claiming to be thus divinely commissioned as 
an apostle, because his appointment was different from that of the other 
apostles, and its validity had frequently been called in question. 

The term apostle or messenger, with few exceptions, is applied exclu- 
sively to those thirteen individuals appointed by Jesus Christ to deliver 
to men the message of salvation ; to authenticate that message by signs 
and wonders, Heb. 2 : 4, and especially by their testimony as eye-wit- 
nesses of the resurrection of Christ, Acts 1 : 22. 2 : 32. 3 : 15. 1 Cor 
15: 15; and to organize the Christian church by the appointment of 
officers and the general ordering of its affairs. It was therefore neces- 
sary that an apostle should have seen Christ after he rose from the dead, 
ICor. 9: 1. 

Separated unto the gospel of God. The word rendered separated ex- 
presses the idea both of selection and appointment. Lev. 20 : 24, 26. Acts 
13 : 2. Gal. 1 : 15. Paul was chosen and set apart to preach the gospei 
of God ; that is, the gospel of which God is the author. 

(2) Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures 



18 ROMANS 1 : 1—17. 

It was peculiarly pertinent to the apostle's object to state, that the gospel 
which he taught was not a new doctrine, much less in consistent with 
writings which his readers knew to be of divine authority. This idea 
he therefore frequently repeats in reference to the method of salvation, 
ch. 3 : 21. 10 : 11, &c. ; the rejection of the Jews, ch. 9 : 27, 33. 10 : 20. 
21 ; and the calling of the Gentiles, ch. 9 : 25. 10 : 19, &c. see Luke 24 . 
44. John 12 : 16. Acts 10 : 43. 

(3, 4) Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, &c. This verse is to 
be connected with the last clause of the first, and states the grand subject 
of that gospel which Paul was appointed to preach. That subject which 
includes all others, is the Son of God. Having mentioned the name, 
Paul immediately declares the nature of this exalted personage. The 
passage which follows is therefore peculiarly interesting, as giving a 
clear exhibition of the apostle's view of the character of Christ, and the 
import of the phrase Son of God. 

There are three leading interpretations of this passage. According to 
the first, the meaning is, ' Jesus Christ was, as to his human nature, the 
Son of David ; but he was clearly demonstrated to be, as to his divine 
nature, the Son of God, by the resurrection from the dead.' According 
to the second, the passage means, ' Christ was, in his state of humiliation, 
the Son of David, but was constituted the Son of God in his state of exal* 
tation, by the resurrection from the dead ; or, after his resurrection.' Ac- 
cording to the third, ' Christ was the Son of David, as to his human 
nature, but was declared to be the Son of God, agreeably to the scriptures, 
by the resurrection from the dead.' 

The first of these interpretations is recommended by the following con- 
siderations. 1. The sense which it assigns to the several clauses may 
be justified by usage, and is required by the context. This will appear 
from the examination of each, as they occur. Which was made of the 
seed of David according to the flesh. Was made, i. e. was born, see the 
same sense of the word here used. Gal. 4 : 4. John 8 : 41. 1 Pet. 3 : 6. 
The phrase according to the flesh means as to his human nature, as far as 
he was a man. The word flesh is often used for men as in the expression 
*•' all flesh," and very frequently for human nature considered as corrupt, 
as in the expressions " to be in the flesh," — " to live after the flesh," 
&c. But when used in reference to Christ the accessory ideas of weak- 
ness and corruption are of course excluded, as in the phrases " became 
liesh," John 1: 14; "was manifested in the flesh," 1 Tim. 3 : 16; 
" has come in the flesh," 1 John 4:2. In all these cases it stands for 
human nature, as such, not merely for the body or visible part of man, 
nor for his external circumstances and condition, but for all that Christ 
had in common with other men. That such is its meaning in this pas- 
sage is also obvious from the connexion. In what sense is Christ of the 
family of David but as he was a man % Compare the analogous passage, 
Rom. 9 : 5. 

And declared to be the Son of God with power. That the word rendered 



ROMANS 1: 1—17. 19 

declared has, in this case, that meaning-, maybe argued, 1. From its ety- 
molog-y. It comes from a word signifying- a limit or boundary^ and lite- 
rally means to set limits to, to define, and such, in usage, is its frequent 
signification. To define is nearly related both to appointing, and to nam- 
ing, declaring, exhibiting a person or thing in its true nature. In the New- 
Testament, indeed the word, as in common Greek, is used generally to 
express the former idea, viz. that of constituting, or appointing ; but the 
sense which our version gives it is in many cases involved in the other, 
Acts 10: 43. 17: 31. 2. The Greek commentators, Chrysostom and 
Theodoret, both so exphain the word. So does the Syriac version. 

3. This explanation supposes the word to be used in a popular and gene- 
ral sense, but does not assign to it a new meaning. 3. Reference may 
be made to that familiar biblical usage, according to which words are 
used declaratively. Thus, to make guilty, is to pronounce to be guilty ; 
to make just, is to pronounce to be just ; to make unclean, is to declare to 
be unclean. Hence, admitting that the words literally mean, ' made the 
Son of God by the resurrection from the dead,' they may, with the strict- 
est regard to usage, be interpreted, exhibited as made, declared to be. , 

4. The necessity of the place requires this interpretation; because it is not 
true that Christ was made the Son of God by his resurrection, since he 
was such before that event. 5. The passage, unless thus explained, is 
inconsistent with other declarations of the sacred writers. Acts 1 : 22, 
&c., which speak of Christ's resurrection as the evidence of what he 
was, but not as making him either Son or King. 

The words with power may either be connected adjectively with the 
preceding phrase, and the meaning be ' the powerful Son of God ;' or, 
which is preferable, adverbially with the word declared, '■ he was power- 
fully, i. e. clearly declared to be the Son of God.' As when the sun 
shines out in his power, he is seen and felt in all his glory, so Christ, 
when he arose from the dead, was recognised at once as the Son of God. 

According to the spirit of holiness ; that is, as to his divine nature. That 
this is the correct interpretation of this phrase appears, 1. Because the 
term spirit is obviously applicable to the nature of God, and the word 
holiness, which here qualifies it adjectively, expresses every thing in God 
which is the foundation of reverence. It therefore exalts the idea 
expressed by spirit. ' According to that spiritual essence in Christ, 
which is worthy of the highest reverence.' 2. The divine nature in 
Christ is elsewhere called Spirit, Heb. 9 : 14, " If the blood of bulls and 
of goats sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh ; how much more shall 
the blood of Christ, who, with an eternal Spirit, offered himself without 
spot unto God." That is, 'if the blood of animals was of any avail, 
how much more efficacious must be the sacrifice of Christ, who was pos- 
sessed of a divine nature.' ' In our version this passage is rendered 
through, instead of with an eternal Spirit; but this does not so well suit 
the context, nor give so good a sense. In 1 Tim. 3 : 16, " God was ma- 
nifest in the flesh ; justified in the Spirit," the meaning probably is, th'i 



20 ROMANS 1: 1—17. 

fact that God was incarnate was proved, and his claims vindicated by the 
divine nature, which exhibited its power and glory in so many ways, in 
the words and works of Christ. In 1 Pet. 3 : 18, Christ is saitd to have 
been put to death as to thejlesk, but to have remained alive as to the Spirit^ 
by which Spirit he preached to the spirits in prison. If this preaching 
refers to the times before the flood, then does Spirit here also mean the 
divine nature of Christ. 3. The antithesis obviously demands this inter- 
pretation — as to thejlesh, Christ was the Son of David, as to the Spirit, 
the Son of God : if the flesh means his human, the Spirit must mean his 
iivine nature. 4. It is confirmed by a comparison with ch. 9 : 5 ; there 
^he two natures of Christ are also brought into view and contrasted ; as 
to the flesh he was an Israelite, but as to his higher nature he is God over 
all and blessed for ever. So the latter clause of that passage answers to 
the latter clause of this ; to be the Son of God, is equivalent to being God 
over all. 

By the resurrection from the dead. That is, the resurrection of Christ was 
the great decisive evidence that he was the Son of God ; it was the pub- 
lic acknowledgment by God of the validity of all the claims which Christ 
had made. Hence the apostles were appointed as witnesses of that fact, 
Acts 1 : 22. see on v. 1. This, of course, does not at all imply that the 
resurrection of Christ in itself was any proof that he was the Son of God, 
any further than it was a proof that he was all that he had claimed to be, 
and as, in its attending circumstances, it was a display of his divine 
power. He had power to lay down his life, and he had power to take it 
again. This clause is sometimes rendered " after the resurrection from 
the dead." The preposition used in the Greek admits of either render- 
ing ; but the former is better suited to the context, and more in accordance 
with the manner in which Paul speaks elsewhere of the resurrection. 
See the passages cited above. 

The expression ' Son of God' is used in scripture almost exclusively 
in reference to Jesus Christ. Adam, indeed, is so called in the genea- 
logical table given in Luke ch. 3. to express the idea of his immediate 
creation by God. But the expression is applied to Christ in a sense in 
which it is applicable to no other being. It appears from this and other 
passages that it implies that Christ is of the same nature with God, par- 
taker of the same essence and attributes. Thus in John 5 : 17, Christ 
calls God his father in such a sense as thereby to claim equality with 
God. Compare John 1 : 14. 10 : 30—39. Heb. 1 : 4—7. 

(5) By whom we have received grace and apostleship, &c. Having in 
the preceding verses set forth the character of Jesus Christ, as at once 
the Son of David and the Son of God, Paul says it was from him, and 
not from any inferior source, that he received his authority. This point 
he often insists upon. Gal. 1 : 1. 1 Cor. 1 : 1, &c. The word grace 
means favour, kindness, and is often metonymically used for any gift 
proceeding from kindness, especially unmerited kindness. Hence all the 
gifts of the Spirit are graces^ unmerited favours. The greatest of God's 



ROMANS 1 : 1—17. 21 

gifts, nfter that of his Son, is the influence of the Holy Ghost ; this, 
therefore, in the Bible, and in common life, is called, by way of eminence, 
grace. The word may be so understood here, and include all those influ- 
ences of the Holy Spirit by which Paul was furnished for his work. 
The two words grace and apostleship may however be taken together, 
and mean ' the grace or favour of being an apostle ;' but the former 
explanation is to be preferred. 

For obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name. Literally 
unto obedience of the faith. This expresses the design or object for 
which the office of apostle was conferred upon Paul. It was that all 
nations might be made obedient. Similar modes of expression are frequent; 
*' Baptism unto repentance," i. e. that men might repent ; " unto salva- 
tion," that they might be saved, &c. It is doubtful whether the word 
faith is to be understood here as in Gal. 1 : 33, " He preacheth the faith 
which he once destroyed ;" and frequently elsewhere, for the object of 
faith ; or whether it is to be taken in its ordinary sense for the exercise 
of belief. Either interpretation gives a good sense ; according to the 
former, the meaning is, ' that all nations should be obedient to the gos- 
pel ;' according to the latter, ' that they should yield that obedience 
which consists in faith.' The former is the most common explanation, 
.see Acts 6 : 7. Among all nations is most naturally connected with the 
immediately preceding clause, ' that obedience might be promoted among 
all nations.' They may, however, be referred to the former clause, ' we 
have received the apostleship among all nations.' The words for his 
name are still more doubtful as to their connexion. Some join them with 
the middle clause, 'for obedience of faith in his name,' see Acts 26 : 18. 
But this the words will hardly bear. Others connect them with the first 
clause, ' apostleship in his name,' 2 Cor. 5 : 20. Others again, and more 
naturally, to the whole preceding clause. ' Paul was an apostle that all 
nations might be obedient to the honour of Jesus Christ;' that is, so that 
his name may be known. 

(6) Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ. If the gospel 
contemplated all nations as the field of its operation, the Romans of course 
were not to be excluded. They, i. e. the persons addressed, were of the 
number of those who had become obedient to the faith. The called of 
Jesus Christ means those who are effectually called, not invited merely, 
but made actually partakers of the blessings to which they are called. 
The word called is often, therefore, as in the first verse, equivalent with 
chosen, see the passages cited on that verse. In 1 Cor. 1 : 24, Christ is 
said to be a stumbling-block to one class of men, and foolishness to an- 
other ; " but to those that are called, the power of God," &c. Rev. 17 : 
14, " those who are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful," see, 
too, the frequent use of different forms of the verb signifying to ca//, Rom. 
8: 30; "them he also called," Jude 1; "to the called, "°1 Pet. 5: 10. 
2 : 9. Such a call is in fact a choice ; it is a taking one from among 
«iany. Hence, to be called, is to be chosen, as just remarked. Called 



22 ROMANS 1: 1—17. 

of Jesus Christ does not mean called hy Jesus Christ ,- but the genitive ex- 
presses the idea of possession, ' the called ones who belong to Christ,' 
' Christ's called, or chosen ones.' 

(7) To all that be in Borne, beloved of God, called to be saints. As this 
verse contains the salutation, it is, in sense, immediately connected with 
the first. * Paul an apostle to all that be at Rome.' All that intervenes 
is not properly a parenthesis, but an accumulation of clauses, one grow- 
ing out of the other, and preventing the apostle finishing the sentence 
with which he commenced. This is very characteristic of Paul's man- 
ner, and is peculiarly obvious in his two epistles to the Ephesians 
and Colossians. His teeming mind protruded its rich thoughts and 
glowing sentiments so rapidly, that his course was often impeded, and 
the original object for a time entirely lost sight of. See Ephesians 3:1, 
where the sentence, with which the first verse begins, is interrupted, and 
is not resumed until v. 14, or perhaps, the beginning of the next chapter. 

The salutation of Paul is addressed to all the Christians who were at 
Rome, whom he calls beloved of God, and called to be saints. The people 
of God are often, both in the Old and New Testament, distinguished by 
the honourable appellation, beloved of God, Deut. 33 : 12. Col. 3 : 12. 
Called to be saints, means chosen or made saints ,• as in v. 1, called to be an 
apostle, means chosen or appointed an apostle, see 1 Cor. 1 : 2. The fact 
that they were saints, was to be attributed to the gracious choice or call 
of God. The word translated saints properly means separated, and is 
applied in a multitude of cases in the Old Testament, both to persons and 
things consecrated to God. In this sense all the Hebrews were a holy 
people. But in the New Testament when used in reference to persons, 
it expresses their moral relation to God, in the great majority of cases. 
This is its meaning here. The Roman Christians were called to be not 
merely a people consecrated externally to God, as were the Jews, but to 
be morally holy, see the remarks on ch. 11 : 16. Grace to you, and peace 
from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, This is the common 
form of salutation. Grace is the divine favour ; and peace is the con- 
sequence of it, and includes, as does the corresponding Hebrew word, all 
blessings. Compare the phrases " way of peace," " God of peace," 
"gospel of peace," and the like. Hence it is used constantly in saluta- 
tions, " Peace be with you," i. e. may all good rest upon you. The 
Greek term has this extent of meaning from being used with the same 
latitude as the Hebrew word, which signifies, as an adjective, complete 
(^integer), and as a svibstzntiYe, completeness (integritas), well-being ; and, 
therefore, includes all that is necessary to make one what he would wish 
to^be. When the favour of God is secured, all other blessings follow in 
its train. 

These blessings are sought from God the Father and the Lord Jesus 
Christ. Christ is equally with the Father the source of these blessings, 
and therefore the object of prayer ; which, under such circumstances, 
and for such blessings, is one of the highest acts of worship. God is 



ROMANS 1: 1—17. 23 

called our Father, as he from whom all good ultimately comes ; and 
Jesus Christ is called Lord, as our Ruler, under whose care and protec- 
tion we are placed, and through whose ministration all good is actually- 
bestowed. 

(8) First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, &c. From 
this verse to the end of the 17th we have the general introduction to the 
epistle. It is distinguished by the usual characteristics of the introduc- 
tory portions of the apostle's letters ; as it is commendatory, concilia- 
tory, and appropriate. Before introducing any other topic, the apostle 
expresses his gratitude to God on their account. 3Iy God is the endear- 
ing form of expression which he uses, in the consciousness of his recon- 
ciliation. " I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people," 
Jer. 30 : 22, contains all the blessings of the covenant of grace. My 
God through Jesus Christ, as these words are often explained, thus ex- 
pressing the idea that God is our God, or is reconciled to us through 
Jesus Christ. The latter clause may, however, be connected with the 
words / give thanks. This is the more natural construction, and is 
recommended by a comparison with such passages as Eph. 5: 20, 

'"Giving thanks in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ," Heb. 13: 15. 
John 14: 13. These passages show that we must recognise the media- 
tion of Christ in our offerings to God. 

That your faith is spoken of throughout the world. This is the ground 
of the apostle's thanksgiving ; and of course assumes -that faith is the 
gift of God, something for which we ought to be thankful. The cause 
of the faith of the Romans being so generally spoken of, may have been 
either that it was remarkably strong and decided, or that it was con- 
sidered of special importance that at Rome, the capital of the world, the 
gospel had been embraced. 

(9) For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit, in the gospel 
of his Son, &c. That Paul was really thankful for the conversion of the 
Romans, he confirms by the fact that he was constantly mindful of them 
in his prayers ; and that he did thus remember them, he calls God to 
witness. This appeal to God as a witness of the truth of our declara- 
tions approaches very nearly to the nature of an oath, wanting only the 
imprecation of divine displeasure in the case of falsehood. It is, with 
Paul, not unfrequent, 2 Cor. 1 : 23. Gal. 1 : 20. Phil. 1 : 8, &c. &c. 
The word rendered I serve, means, properly, I worship, or perform religious 
service, and is always elsewhere used in this sense in the New Tes- 
tament. This meaning may be here retained, "whom I worship in my 
spirit," i. e. not merely externally, but cordially; and the clause in the 
gospel of his Son may mean either agreeably to the gospel, or in preach- 
ing the gospel. If the latter, the idea may be that preaching the gospel 
is itself a religious service ; or that his devotion to this duty was evi- 
dence that he was a sincere worshipper. The former interpretation is 
the simpler of the two — according to the gospel. 

(10) Making request if by any means now at length I might have a 



24 ROMANS 1 : 3—17. 

prosperous journey^ ly the will of God, to come unto you. Not merely 
the fact that he prayed, but the subject of his prayers, evinced his inte- 
rest in the Roman Christians. If by any means now at length expresses 
the strength of the apostle's desire to see them, and implies that it had 
been, as he afterwards assures them was the case, long cherished. 1 
may have a prosperous journey ; this is all expressed by one word in the 
Greek, which means / may he prospered, see 1 Cor. 16 : 2. 3 John v. 2. 
The idea therefore is, " that God would order things favourably to his 
visiting them." By the will of God, not merely by the divine favour, 
but under the divine guidance. 

(11) For I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, 
&c. The desire of the apostle to visit Rome arose from no idle curiosity, 
nor from a mere desire of intercourse with his fellow Christians, but from 
a wish to be useful. Spiritual gifts are gifts of which the Holy Spirit is 
the author, and include not only those miraculous endowments, of which 
such frequent mention is made in the epistle to the Corinthians and 
elsewhere, but also the ordinary gifts of teaching, exhortation, and pro- 
phecying, enumerated in 1 Cor. 12, Gifts of the former class were 
communicated by laying on of the hands of the apostles, Acts 8 : 17. 
19 : 6, and therefore abounded in churches founded by the apostles, 1 Cor, 
1 : 7. Gal. 3:5. In this case the expression includes any and every 
benefit, of a religious kind, which the apostle might be the means of 
bestowing, comp. vs. 12, 13. 

(12) That is, that I may he comforted together with you, &c. This 
verse is connected with the last clause of the preceding ; it does not 
imply that the apostle was to receive from them the same gifts that he 
wished to impart to them, but that he expected to be benefited by their 
improvement. It is designed, therefore, with singular modesty, to in- 
sinuate that he did not imagine himself above being improved by the 
Roman Christians, or that the benefit would be all on one side. He 
hoped to derive good from those to whom he imparted good. The word 
rendered to comfort, means to invite, to exhort, to instruct, to console, &c. 
Which of these senses is to be preferred here it is not easy to decide. 
Most probably the apostle intended to use the word in a wide sense, as 
expressing the idea that he might be excited, encouraged, and comforted 
by his intercourse with his Christian brethren. 

(13) Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I pur- 
posed to come unto you, &c. In ch. 15 : 22, 23, he mentions the same 
fact, and says this purpose had been long entertained ; its execution was 
prevented by providential circumstances, or direct intimations of the 
divine will. In 1 Thess. 2 : 18, he tells the Thessalonians that Satan 
had hindered his coming to them. In Acts 16 : 6, 7, it is said that he 
" was forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia." And 
in Rom. 15: 21, 22, he says his pressing calls to preach the gospel 
where it had not before been heard, had much hindered his going to 
Rome. His object in desiring to visit them was that he might have some 



ROMANS 1 : 1—17. 25 

fruit among them, as among other Gentiles. To have fruit, commonly 
means to derive advantage from; ch. 6 : 21,22, " what fruit had ye," 
i. e. w\yd.t advantage had ye. Many give the words this sense here, and 
understand the apostle as referring to personal benefits of some kind, 
which he wished to derive from preaching to them. But it is much 
more natural to understand him as referring to that fruit which, as Calvin 
remarks, the apostles were sent to gather. John 15 : 16, "I have chosen 
you that ye might go and bring forth fruit (i. e. produce great results), 
and that your fruit should remain." 

(14) I am debtor both to the Greeks and the Barbarians, both the wise ana 
the unwise. That is, " I am officially bound to preach to all classes of 
men." Those whom he calls in the first clause Greeks and Barbarians, 
he calls in the second wise and unwise. As the Greeks called all fo- 
reigners Barbarians, and as most other nations were uncivilized, the term 
barbarian was often used as equivalent to rude, uncultivated. Pro- 
perly, however, it means a foreigner, one of another language, especially 
in reference to the Greeks : for the Romans were called and called them- 
selves barbarians, until the Greek language and literature prevailed 
among them. Paul uses it in its original sense in 1 Cor. 14: 11, "I 
shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall 
be a barbarian unto me," i. e. we shall be as foreigners to each other, if 
one uses a tongue unknown to the other. It is used, as here, for those 
destitute of Roman or Jewish culture. Acts 28: 2, 4, and Col. 3: 11. 
It is said to have been first employed as a term of reproach by the Greeks 
in reference to the Persians after their wars with that people. 

(15) So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that 
are at Rome also. As the apostle's obligation extended to all classes, he 
was prepared to preach even at Rome, where he might expect the great- 
est opposition and contempt. Our translation of the first clause of this 
verse is the same as that given by Grotius. It may, however, be ren- 
dered so, my desire is, or so, lam ready. 

(16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of 
God unto salvation to every one that believeth ; to the Jew first, and also to 
the Greek. We have here the theme of the whole epistle. The gos- 
pel proposes salvation on the condition of faith ; and it is universally 
applicable to the Greek as well as the Jew. These ideas are presented 
more fully in the two following verses. Thus naturally does the apostle 
introduce the great topics of discussion, the method of salvation, and the 
persons to whom it may be proposed. The connexion between this and 
the preceding verse is obvious. The reason why he was ready to preach 
the gospel, even in the proud capital of the world, was that it is divinely 
efficacious in securing the salvation of men. It does what no other sys- 
tem ever did or can accomplish. The words rendered the power of God 
may be taken for divinely efficacious ; better, however, as expressing the 
idea of that through which the power of God is manifested. Acts 8:10. 
1 Cor. 1 : 18, 24. 'The gospel is an instrument, in the hands of God, 

C 



26 ROMANS 1: 1—17. 

truly powerful in saving men/ To every one that believeth. Emphasis 
must be laid upon both members of this clause. The gospel is thus effi- 
cacious to every one, without distinction between Jew and Gentile ; and 
to every one that believeth, not who is circumcised, or who obeys the 
law, or who does this or that, but who believes, i. e. who receives and 
confides in Jesus Christ in all the characters, and for all the purposes, in 
which he is presented in the gospel. It will be very clearly seen in the 
progress of the epistle that Paul attributes no special efficacy to faith 
itself, considered as an exercise of the mind. As such, it is no more 
worthy of being the condition of salvation than love, or repentance, or 
resignation, or any other act of obedience to the law of God. It is as 
the organ of reception ; as the acquiescence of the soul in the method of 
salvation proposed in the gospel, that it is the turning point in the des-- 
tiny of every human being. The grand idea of this epistle, and of the 
whole Bible (as far as this subject is concerned), is that the ground of 
our justification, and the source of our sanctification, are not in ourselves ; 
that neither human merit nor human power can have any of the glory of 
our salvation. To the merit of Christ we owe our acceptance with God, 
and to the power of the Holy Ghost our preparation for his presence. 
To the Jew first, and also to the Greek. It would be in direct contradiction 
to one of the prominent objects of the apostle in writing this epistle, as 
well as to his explicit declarations, to make this clause teach that the 
gospel was specially designed or adapted for the Jews, see ch. 3 : 9, 23, 
29. 10: 12, &c. The meaning obviously is, 'for the Jew in the first 
instance, and then for the Greek.' The gospel was to be preached to 
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, compare Acts 3 : 26 and 13 : 26. 
Paul often says ' Jews and Greeks'* for ' Jews and Gentiles,' ch. 2 : 9. 
3 : 9, &c., because, after the conquests of Alexander, the Greeks were 
the Gentiles with whom the Jews were most familiar. 

(17) For therein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faiih, 
&c. The reason why the gospel is so efficacious in the salvation of men, 
i. e. in securing the pardon of their sins, and the moral renovation of 
their hearts and lives, is not that it reveals a perfect moral system, or 
that it teaches the doctrine of a future state of reward and punishment, or 
that it discloses new views of the divine character. All this is true and 
efficacious ; but the power of the gospel lies in the fact that it teaches the 
doctrine of justification by faith, or, in other words, it reveals the right- 
eousness of God by faith. This expression is one of the most important in 
the epistle, and is variously explained. 

The word rendered righteousness has, in the Scriptures, a very great 
extent and variety of meaning. It signifies not meTely justice in its strict 
sense, but general rectitude, including all moral excellence. It is used, 
therefore, especially in the Old Testament, for almost every specific vir- 
tue, as truth, benevolence, mercy, &c. Its common and proper meaning is, 
that which makes a man just, i. e. which fulfils and satisfies all the claims 
of justice or law. Hence, a just man is one who can stand in judgment. 



ROMANS 1 : 1—17. 27 

See the constant opposition between the just and the unjust ,- between 
those who can, and those who cannot answer the demands of law. The 
word, therefore, expresses together with the idea of excellence that of a 
claim or title to its consequent rewards ; in other words, it expresses 
the whole state or condition of those who have done all that the law 
requires in order to the enjoyment of the divine favour. Sometimes one, 
and sometimes the other of these two leading ideas is the more pro- 
minent. The word righteousness, therefore, is sometimes equivalent to 
moral rectitude or excellence, and sometimes to salvation. See such 
passages as Isa. 45 : 8. 51 : 5. 56 : 1, where the words righteousness and 
salvation are used as nearly synonymous. Compare also Ps. 24 ; 5, 
" He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from 
the God of his salvation ;" here righteousness is equivalent to justifica- 
tion. This passage (Ps. 24 : 5), therefore, maybe rendered, " He shall 
be justified by the God of his salvation." In a multitude of cases the 
word is used in this complex sense in the New Testament, Gal. 2 : 21, 
*' If righteousness (justification, i. e. excellence and its consequences) 
come by the law, Christ is dead in vain." Gal. 3: 21, "If there had 
been a law which could have given life, verily righteousness (justifica- 
tion in the same sense as before) would have been by the law." Thus, 
too, in the phrases " ministration of righteousness," 2 Cor. 3:9; " the 
law of righteousness," Rom. 9 : 31, &c. the word is used in the same 
sense. It is the prominent doctrine of the apostle Paul, that this right- 
eousness, this meritorious excellence and its consequent blessings, cannot 
be obtained by the law, that it is secured by faith, and is the gift of God ; 
it is the righteousness of God, i. e. that which he bestows. 

In this and other passages in this epistle where the expression <* right- 
eousness of God" occurs, it is subjected to various interpretations. The 
three most important are the following. According to the first it means, 
the justice, rectitude, or mercy of God. According to the second it 
means, God's method of justification; and according to the third and 
most common, that righteousness which God bestows, and which is 
acceptable in his sight. In favour of this last interpretation it may be 
argued, — 1. That it assigns to the word righteousness its most common and 
appropriate meaning. 2. It suits almost all the passages in which the 
phrase " righteousness of God" occurs ; seech. 3: 21. 10: 3. Phil. 3 : 
9, &c. 3. It is suitable to the opposition between the expressions 
" righteousness of faith" and " righteousness of the law." The former 
means that excellence (together with its consequences) which is obtained 
by faith, the latter that which is obtained by obedience to the law. 
4. It is especially recommended by a comparison with Phil. 3:9." Not 
having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is 
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." 
Here, it is evident, that " the righteousness which is of God" means 
that justifying righteousness which God gives, as distinguished from that 
which is obtained by our own works ; and is the apostle's own explana 



28 ROMANS 1: 1—17. 

tion of the more concise phrase " righteousness of God." 5. This inter- 
pretation is entirely suitable to the context. The efficacy of the gospel 
is attributed to the fact that a meritorious and saving excellence is there- 
in revealed, and M^hich God offers as the ground of the sinner's depend- 
ence in preference to any righteousness or merit of his own. 

The words from faith to faith are not to be connected with the word 
revealed, as though the meaning were, ' revealed from faith to faith,' but 
with the word righteousness. It is " the righteousness of God, which is 
hy faith to faith,'''' th-dX is disclosed by the gospel. The most natural 
interpretation of these words is that which makes the repetition merely 
intensive — ' from faith to faith,' entirely of faith, in which works have no 
part. See 2 Cor. 2: 16, "death to death," means very deadly, "life 
unto life," eminently salutary. That righteousness, then, which is 
acceptable before God is that of which he is the author, and which is 
received by faith alone. 

As it is written, The just shall live hy faith. The words, as it is written, 
are the usual formula of reference to the Old Testament. In what rela- 
tion the passage cited may stand to the topic in hand, whether as a pre- 
diction, or an inculcation of the same or some analogous truth, or of 
something which may serve as an illustration, depends entirely on the 
context. In the present case, Paul wishes to show the importance of 
faith, by a reference to a passage in Habakkuk 2 ; 4, in which the pro- 
phet declares that the safety of the people depended upon their believing. 
Those who turned a deaf ear to the threatenings and promises of God 
should perish, but those who believed should live. The passage, there- 
fore, is directly in point, and shows that, as well in reference to the 
external theocracy of the Old Testament, as to the spiritual theocracy or 
kingdom of Christ, under the New Testament, the favour of God was to 
be secured by faith. 

Agreeably to the position of the words in the original, these words 
may be pointed either thus, ' the just by faith, shall live,' or thus, 
' the just, by faith shall live.' The former is more consistent with the 
immediate object of the apostle, who is speaking of a justness hy faith. 
It is also the connexion and sense of the words in the Old Testament. 
Shall live, shall enjoy the favour of God, whose favour is life, and whose 
loving-kindness is better than life, see Rom. 5 : 17. 8 : 13. 10 : 5, and the 
numerous passages in which the word life expresses all the benefits of 
the redemption of Christ. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The apostolic office, except as to what was peculiar and extraordi- 
nary, being essentially the same with the ministerial office in general, 
Paul teaches, 1. That ministers are the servants of Christ, deriving their 
authority from him, and not from the people ; 3. That their calling is to 
preach the gospel, to which all other avocations must be made subordi- 
nate J 3. That the object of their appointment is to bring men to the obe- 



ROMANS 1: 1—17. 29 

dience of faith ; 4. That their field is all nations j 5. That the design of 
all is to honour Christ ; it is for his name, vs. 1 — 5. 

2. The gospel is contained, in its rudiments, in the Old Testament. 
It is the soul of the old dispensation, v. 2. 

3. Christ is the Alpha and Omega of the gospel. In stating the sub- 
stance of the gospel, Paul says, ' It concerns Jesus Christ,' v. 3. 

4. Christ is at once God and man; the son of David and the Son of 
God, vs. 3, 4. 

5. Christ is called the Son of God in reference to his divine nature, and 
on account of the relation in which, as God, he stands to the Father. 
The name, therefore, is expressive of his divine character, vs. 3, 4. 

6. He is the proper object of prayer, and the source of spiritual bless- 
ings, V. 7. 

7. He is the mediator, through whom our prayers and thanksgiving 
must be presented unto God, v. 8. 

8. God is the source of all spiritual good ; is to be worshipped in spi- 
rit, and agreeably to the gospel ; and his providence is to be recognised 
in reference to the most ordinary affairs of life, vs. 8 — 10. 

9. Ministers are not a class of men exalted above the people, and 
independent of them for spiritual benefits, but are bound to seek, as well 
as to impart good, in all their intercourse with those to whom they are 
sent, vs. 11, 12. 

10. Ministers are bound to preach the gospel to all men, rich as well 
as poor, wise as well as unwise ; for it is equally adapted to the wants 
of all, vs. 14, 15. 

11. The salvation of men, including the pardon of their sins, and the 
moral renovation of their hearts, can be effected by the gospel alone. The 
wisdom of men, during four thousand years previous to the advent of 
Christ, failed to discover any adequate means for the attainment of either 
of tnese objects ; and those who, since the advent, have neglected the 
gospel, have been equally unsuccessful, v. 16, &c. 

13. The power of the gospel lies not in its pure theism, or perfect 
moral code, but in the cross, in the doctrine of justification by faith in a 
crucified Redeemer, v. 17^ &c. 

REMARKS. 

1. Ministers should remember that they are "separated unto the gos- 
pel," and that any occupation which, by its demands upon their atten- 
tion, or from its influence on their character or feelings, interferes with 
their devotion to this object, is for them wrong, v. 1. 

2. If Jesus Christ is the great subject of the gospel, it is evident that 
we cannot have right views of the one, without having correct opinions 
respecting the other. What think ye of Christ] cannot be a minor 
question. To be Christians we must recognise him as the Messiah, or 
Son of David ; and as divine, or the Son of God ; we must be able to 

c2 



?0 ROMANS 1 : 13—32. 

pray to him, to look for blessings from him, and recognise him as the 
mediator between God and man, vs. 1 — 8. 

3. Christians should remember that they are saints ; that is, persons 
separated from the world and consecrated to God. They therefore can- 
not serve themselves or the world, without a dereliction of their character. 
They are saints, because called and made such of God. To all such, 
grace and peace are secured by the mediation of Christ, and the promise 
of God, V. 7. 

4. In presenting truth, every thing consistent with fidelity should be 
done to conciliate the confidence and kind feelings of those to whom it is 
addressed ; and every thing avoided, which tends to excite prejudice 
against the speaker or his message. Who more faithful than Paul? 
Yet who more anxious to avoid oiEFence 1 Who more solicitous to pre- 
sent the truth, not in its most irritating form, but in the manner best 
adapted to gain for it access to the unruffled minds of his readers 1 vs. 
8—14. 

5. As all virtues, according to the Christian system, are graces (gifts), 
they afford matter for thanksgiving, but never for self-commendation, v.8. 

6. The intercourse of Christians should be desired, and made to result 
in edification, by their mutual faith, v. 12. 

7. He who rejects the doctrine of justification by faith, rejects the gos- 
pel. riPis whole method of salvation, and system of religion, must be 
different from those of the apostles, v. 17. 

8. Whether we be wise or unwise, moral or immoral, in the sight of 
men, orthodox or heterodox in our opinions ; unless we are believers, un- 
less we cordially receive 'the righteousness which is of God,' as the 
ground of acceptance, we have not part or lot in the salvation of the 
gospel, V. 17. 

CHAP. 1 : 18—32. 

*^For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness 
and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 
^'•^because that which may be known of God is manifest in them ; 
for God hath showed it unto them. ^"For the invisible things of 
him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being under- 
stood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and God- 
head ; so that they are without excuse : ^^Because that, when they knew 
God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful ; but became 
vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ^^Pro- 
fessing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ^^and changed the 
glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible 
man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. ^*Where- 
fore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own 
hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves : ^s^s^i^^ 



ROMANS 1 : 18—32. 31 

chaiig'ed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the crea- 
ture more than the Creator, who is hlessed for ever. Amen, ^epo^ ^j^jg 
cause God gave them up unto vile affections : for even their women did 
change the natural use into that which is against nature : ^^and likewise 
also the men, leaving the natural use of the women, burned in their lust 
one towards another ; men with men working that which is unseemly, 
and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was 
meet, ^sj^^,^^ even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, 
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are 
not convenient; ^^being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, 
wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness ; full of envy, murder, debate, 
deceit, malignity ; whisperers, ^^backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, 
proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, ^^with- 
out understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implaca- 
ble, unmerciful : ^^who knowing the judgment of God, that they which 
commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have 
pleasure in them that do them. 

ANALYSIS. 

The apostle, having stated that the only righteousness available in the 
sight of God is that which is obtained by faith, proceeds to prove that such 
is the case. This proof required that he should, in the first instance, 
demonstrate that the righteousness which is of the law, or of works, was 
insufficient for the justification of a sinner. This he does, first in refer- 
ence to the Gentiles, ch. 1 : 18 — 32 ; and then in relation to the Jews, 
ch. 2 : — 3 : 1 — 20. The residue of this chapter then is designed to 
prove that the Gentiles are justly exposed to condemnation. The apostle 
thus argues: God is just; his displeasure against sin (which is its 
punishment) is clearly revealed, v. 18. This principle is assumed by 
the apostle as the foundation of his whole argument. If this be granted, 
it follows that all, who are chargeable with either impiety or immorality, 
are exposed to the wrath of God, and cannot claim his favour on the 
ground of their own character or conduct. That the Gentiles are justly 
chargeable with both impiety and immorality, he thus proves. They 
have ever enjoyed such a revelation of the divine character as to render 
them inexcusable, vs. 19, 20. Notwithstanding this opportunity of 
knowing God, they neither worshipped nor served him, but gave them- 
selves up to all forms of idolatry. This is the height of all impiety, vs. 
:21, 23. In consequence of this desertion of God, he gave them up to the 
evil of their own hearts, so that they sank into all manner of debasing 
crimes. The evidences of this corruption of morals were so painfully 
obvious, that Paul merely appeals to the knowledge which his readers 
all possessed of the fact, vs. 24 — 31. These various crimes they do not 
commit ignorantly ; they are aware of their ill-desert ; and yet they 
not only commit them themselves, but encourage others in the same 
course, v. 32. 



32 ROMANS 1: 18—32. 

The inference from the established sinfulness of the Gentile world, 
Paul does not draw, until he has substantiated the same charge against 
the Jews. He then says, since all are sinners before God, no flesh can 
be justified by the works of the law, ch. 3 : 20. 

COMMENTARY. 

(18) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodli- 
ness, and unrighteousness of men, &c. The connexion of this verse with 
the preceding, and consequently the force of the particle/or, will be per- 
ceived, if it is remembered that Paul had just asserted, that those only 
who were just by faith, could live ; in other words, that no righteousness 
but that which is of God by faith, can avail to the justification of men. 
The reason is assigned in this verse; God is just. Men must be justi- 
fied by faith, /or the wrath of God is revealed, &c. The wrath of God 
means his disapprobation of sin and his determination to punish it. The 
passion which is called anger or wrath, and which is always mixed more 
or less with malignity in the human breast, is, of course, infinitely 
removed from what the word imports when used in reference to God. 
Yet as anger in men leads to the infliction of evil on its object, the word 
is, agreeable to a principle which pervades the Scriptures, applied to the 
calm and undeviating purpose of the divine Mind, which secures the 
connexion between sin and misery, with the same general uniformity 
that any other law in the physical or moral government of God operates. 
This wrath is revealed from heaven, that is, it is clearly revealed ; made 
"kwown from heaven, where God dwells, and whence all manifestations of 
his character are said to proceed. This revelation is from heaven, as the 
lightning is, which forces itself on the most reluctant vision. Paul as- 
sumes that God's punitive justice forces itself on the knowledge and 
conviction of every sinner. He, therefore, neither tells us how it is ma- 
nifested, nor does he attempt to prove that such is the fact. It is one of 
those obvious and ultimate truths which, existing in every man's con- 
sciousness, may safely be assumed as both known and admitted. 

Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Although the 
words ungodliness and unrighteousness are often used indiscriminately, 
they are "not to be considered in this case as synonymous, because Paul 
distinctly proves that the Gentiles are chargeable both with impiety and 
immorality, in the ordinary acceptation of these terms. These two all- 
comprehensive classes of sins are declared to be the objects of the divine 
displeasure. 

Who hold the truth in unrighteousness. The word truth is here va- 
riously explained. It is obviously inconsistent with the context to un» 
dersrand it of the gospel, as though the apostle meant to denounce 
judgment on those who opposed the gospel. The word is used with 
considerable latitude in the Scriptures. It is often used for true religion^ 
including both its doctrines, John 8 : 32. Rom. 2 : 20. 2 Cor. 4 : 2, &c. 



ROMANS 1 : 18—32. 33 

.&c., and its duties, John 3 : 21. 1 John 1 : 6, "who do not the truth," 
&c. Such is probably its meaning here. The word rendered to hold, in 
the sense of having in possession, is so used in 1 Cor. 7 : 30. 15 : 2. Luke 
8 : 15, &;c. If this sense be adopted here, the word truth must be un- 
derstood objectively, for the true doctrine ; and in unrighteousness should 
be rendered with unrighteousness. The meaning of the clause would 
then be, 'who have the truth with unrighteousness,' i. e. although pos- 
sessed of the truth are still unrighteous. See James 2 : 1, for a precisely 
similar expression, " my brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, with respect of persons," i. e. do not, if believers, cherish a re- 
spect of persons. As, however, the word also means to hold back, to 
hinder, and then to impede ; it may be so understood here, and the clause 
be rendered ' who oppose the truth by unrighteousness ;' or better, ' who 
wickedly oppose the truth,' i. e. religion. The latter interpretation is 
the simpler of the two, but the former is sustained, in some measure, by 
a comparison with v. 21, in which men are represented as knowing God, 
i. e. having the truth, and yet acting wickedly. 

(19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them, &c. 
The apostle's object being to prove that the Gentiles are justly charge- 
able with impiety, he commences by showing that they have not the ex- 
cuse of ignorance, since all men have enjoyed a competent revelation of 
the divine character. This he introduces naturally by means of the asso- 
ciating idea contained in the last clause of v. 18, ' men are wicked in 
their opposition to the truth since they have a revelation sufficient to ren- 
der them inexcusable.' That which may be known. Such is the com- 
mon and proper meaning of the word here used, and which suits well 
the context. It is, therefore, to be preferred to another rendering, which 
is also philologically correct, according to which the word means know- 
ledge, 'the knowledge of God is revealed,' &c. The words translated 
in them may be rendered to them, or among them. The first is to be pre- 
ferred, as it is more natural and more forcible. It is not an external 
revelation, merely, of which the apostle is speaking, but of that witness 
of the existence and perfections of God, also, which every man has in 
the constitution of his own nature ; and in virtue of which alone he is 
competent to appreciate the manifestations of God in his works. For 
God hath showed it unto them. The knowledge in question is a revela- 
tion. It is a manifestation of God in them and to them. The revelation 
to which Paul specially refers is that which is made in the external 
world, and for the right apprehension of which God has fashioned our 
nature. 

(20) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are 
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal 
power and Godhead, &c. This verse is a confirmation and illustration 
of the preceding. The knowledge of which Paul speaks relates to the 
invisible things of God ; that is, to his eternal power and Godhead. 
These things, Paul says, are seen, though invisible, by their manifesta- 



34 ROMANS I: 18—32. 

tion in the external world. This manifestation is perpetual and univer- 
sal. It is from the creation of the world. These words may indeed be 
rendered hy the creation, &c., but not consistently with the latter part of 
the verse ; nor do they, when thus rendered, give so pertinent a sense. 
These invisible things are seen, being understood ; that is, it is a mental 
vision of which Paul speaks. The eye of sense sees nothing but the 
external object, the mind sees mind ; and mind possessed not of human 
power and perfections, but of eternal power and divinity. The word 
rendered divinity mezns the divine majesty and excellence, and therefore 
includes all the perfections of God. These perfections are manifested 
by the things which are made ; so the word here used properly means, 
see Eph. 2 : 10 ; but it may also mean luorhs generally. ' Being under- 
stood by his luork^,^ would then include the dispensations of his provi- 
dence, as well as the products of his hands. The common version, 
however, is more natural and appropriate. So that they are without ex- 
cuse. These words are by many considered as depending on the last 
clause of V. 19, ' God hath showed it unto them, so that they are without 
excuse.' The former part of this verse is thus thrown into a parenthesis. 
The sense remains the same. God has so manifested himself in his 
works as to render the impiety, and especially the idolatry, of men inex- 
cusable. It is not necessary to maintain that this revelation is compe- 
tent to supply all the knowledge which a sinner needs. It is enough 
that it renders men inexcusable; and as it is that by which they are to 
be judged, ch. 2 : 14, 15 ; if it be disregarded, it renders their condemna- 
tion as just, although not so severe, as the condemnation of those who 
disregard the clearer light of the gospel. The sentiment of this verse 
occurs in Acts 14: 17, "Nevertheless, he left not himself without a 
witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, filling our 
hearts with food and gladness." 

(21) Because that, when they hnew God, they glorified him not as God^ 
neither were thankful, &c. That men are justly chargeable with impiety, 
Paul proves, because they had a competent knowledge of God, but did 
not act agreeably to it. When they knew means either having the op- 
portunity of knowing, or actually possessing this knowledge. The 
latter is probably the apostle's meaning. God has revealed himself in 
the constitution of human nature, and in his works, to all men. This 
revelation is indeed greatly and generally neglected ; and other and de- 
lusive guides followed, so that the heathen are commonly ignorant of 
what it teaches. In like manner the Bible is neglected, and those to 
whom it is sent, disregarding it§ directions, follow those who teach for 
doctrines the commandments of men. In both cases, however, there is 
knowledge presented, and a revelation made ; and in both ignorance is 
without excuse. As there is no apology for the impiety of the heathen 
to be found in any unavoidable ignorance of God, their idolatry is the 
fruit of depravity. The apostle, therefore, says when they knew God 
they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful. These two ex- 



ROMANS 1: 18—32. 35 

pressions include every act of worship. The former refers to the recog-- 
nition of all the divine perfections, the latter to the acknowledgment of 
God as the source of all good. To regard God as possessed of all ex- 
cellence, and as the giver of all good, is true piety. 

Instead of thus rendering unto God the homage and gratitude which 
are his due, they became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart 
was darkened, ' They became vain,' i. e. foolish, senseless, devoid of 
true wisdom. " In their imaginations,^'' or opinions. The word here 
used often occurs in a bad sense, 2 Cor. 10 : 5. Prov. 6 : 18. Jer. 11 : 19. 
And, in this case, it is the foolish and wicked opinions respecting divine 
things into which the heathen were sunk, that are intended. 

Their foolish heart was darkened. ' Their soul lost all right apprehen- 
sions of the divine character and perfections, and they were, hence, able 
to worship, as gods, birds, beasts, and creeping things.' Foolish means 
both senseless and wicked, see v. 31, and ch. 10: 19. Throughout the 
Scriptures the ideas of wickedness and folly, of wisdom and piety are 
intimately related. In scriptural language a fool is a wicked man, the 
wise are the pious ; foolishness is sin, and wisdom is piety. " Wisdom 
is the principal thing ; therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting, 
get understanding." — Prov. 4:7. 3 : 13, 35, &c. &c. The vanity, there- 
fore, of which the apostle speaks, as consequent on the loss of the know- 
ledge of God, is not mere folly ; it expresses the whole moral character 
of the heathen. Men cannot be such fools without being wicked : comp. 
ep. 4 : 17. 1 Pet. 1 : 18. 

The word heart is used in this passage, and frequently elsewhere, for 
the whole soul. Men "understand with the heart," Matt. 13: 15; 
they " believe with the heart," Rom. 10 : 10 ; " the heart is enlightened 
with knowledge," 2 Cor. 4: 6, &c. The Scriptures do not make the 
broad distinction between the intellectual and moral faculties, which 
philosophers have adopted. As they speak of the heart as the source of 
purely intellectual exercises, so they use the word understanding or mi7id 
for the seat of the affections. 

(22) Professing themselves to be luise, they become fools. The word 
translated professing, means either simply affirming, saying. Acts 25 : 
19, or boasting, pretending to be. The latter is its meaning here. ' While 
making the highest pretensions to wisdom, they exhibited the greatest 
folly.' The evidence and illustration of this remark follows in the next 
verse. That rational creatures, instead of reverencing the God who 
reveals himself in all his works, should worship creatures inferior to 
themselves, even brute beasts, and offensive reptiles, is the most hum- 
bling and melancholy evidence of the imbecility and ruin of our race. 
It is to be remarked, also, that the higher the advancement of the nations 
in refinement and philosophy, the greater, as a general rule, the degrada- 
tion and folly of their systems of religion. Witness the state of opinion 
and practice on this subject among the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, 
in comparison with the simpler faith of earlier nations, or of the abori- 



36 ROMANS 1 : 18—32. 

gines of America. The further men have departed from the teachings oi 
divine revelation, however made, and the more they have relied on their 
own understanding, tne more deplorably besotted and foolish have they 
become. And it matters little under what external circumstances this 
departure is made, the result is always the same. In the midst of all 
the light of modern science, and of the reflection from the word of God 
which illuminates the whole atmosphere, the modern materialists of 
France, and pantheistical idealists of Germany, while professing them- 
selves to be wise, have become fools, as conspicuously and as fully as 
any of the ancient deniers of the only living and true God ; and for the 
very same reason : ' they do not like to retain God in their knowledge.' 

(23) And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made 
like unto corruptible man, &c. Herein consisted their amazing folly, that 
they should worship the lowest of his creatures instead of the glorious 
Creator. The glory of the incorruptible God is equivalent to the glorious in 
corruptible God. The phrase rendered change the glory into, &c. may more 
correctly be rendered exchanged the glory for, he. ' They exchange the 
glorious God for senseless idols.' Compare Ps. 106 : 20, which may be 
translated, 'they exchanged their glory for the similitude of an ox that 
eateth grass;' Jer. 2 : 11, " my people have changed their glory for that 
which doth not profit;" Hosea 4 : 7. Greater folly than this exchange 
of the living and glorious God for the mere image of birds, beasts, and 
reptiles, the world has never seen. That the heathen really worshipped 
such objects is well known. Philo says that the whole land of Egypt 
was covered with temples and groves, dedicated to dogs, wolves, lions, 
land and water animals, crocodiles, birds, &c. "With regard to the vast 
majority of the people, the homage terminated on the animal or the idol ; 
and the case was but little better with the pantheistical refiners and 
defenders of this system, who professed to worship the great and univer- 
sal divine principle, in these particular manifestations. Why should the 
higher manifestation of God in the human soul, do homage to the lower 
development of the universal principle in a reptile ? We never find the 
sacred writers making any account of this common subterfuge and apo- 
logy for idolatry. All who bowed down before a stock or stone, they 
denounced as worshipping gods which their own hands had made, which 
had eyes but saw not, ears but heard not, and hands that could not save. 

The universal idolatry of the heathen world, committed under a degree 
of light which rendered it inexcusable, is the evidence which Paul 
adduces to prove that they are "ungodly," and consequently exposed to 
the wrath of God. In the passage which follows, from v. 24 to the end 
of the chapter, he designs to show that the Gentiles are not only ungodly 
but unrighteous. He traces their immorality to their impiety. 

(24) Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts 
of their own hearts, &c. They having abandoned God, he abandoned 
them. He not only permitted them to take their course, but he judicially, 
that is, as a punishment, withdrew and withheld the restraints of his pro- 



ROMANS 1 : 18—32. 37 

vidence and Spirit, and gave them up to the dominion of their own wicked 
passions. The construction of this verse is rather doubtful. It may be 
construed, as by our translators, 'he delivered them to uncleanness 
through the lusts of their hearts,' or ' he gave them up to the unclean 
lusts of their hearts ;' the words rendered unto uncleanness being then made 
to qualify the word for lusts or desires ,- see vs. 26, 28, for the same con- 
struction. To dishonour their own bodies betiveen themselves. This infinitive 
to dishonour (which in the Greek has the article in the genitive before it) 
may be simply explanatory of the word uncleanness, ' the uncleanness of 
dishonouring their bodies,' i. e. which consisted therein ; or it may ex- 
press the object or result. Here, of course, the latter view of the passage 
is to be preferred, * so that they dishonoured,' &c. The natural conse- 
quence of turning from God is the destruction of all the better governing 
feelings of our nature; so that there is nothing to restrain us from sink- 
ing into the most degrading vices. The soul, when turned from God, is 
turned from its only proper object and portion, and therefore is destitute 
of support and restraint. The same sentiment which is expressed in this 
and the preceding verses, is repeated in those which immediately follow. 
(25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, &c. ' God delivered them 
up, because they were such as those who changed.' The connexion between 
this verse and the preceding one is thus obvious. This verse may be 
better rendered ' who exchanged the truth of God for a lie,' see v. 23. 
The t7'uth of God may mean the true God ; and a lie, a false god, which is 
a lie, a mere deception. The word is applied to any thing which is not 
what it professes, or is supposed to be. Hence, false doctrines are called 
a lie, 2Thess. 2:11; and false gods, in the Old Testament, are also so 
called, compare Jer. 13 : 25. Ps. 31 : 6. The sense of the passage would 
then be, ' who exchange the true, for a false god.' Or the passage may 
mean ' who exchange the truth concerning God, for a false conception of 
his character.' The general idea is, in either case, the same. And wor- 
ship and serve the creature more than the Creator. This clause is an ampli- 
fication of the preceding. They exchanged the true God for idols, and 
worshipped the creature rather than Creator. Worship and serve; the 
former of these words refers more directly to the inward homage of the 
heart, and the latter, to the outward expression of it. The word rendered 
more than may be rendered rather than, ' They worshipped the creature 
instead of the Creator.' When the sacred writers speak of God as neg- 
lected or insulted by men, they commonly add an expression of reverence 
and pious awe, as well to show the wickedness of those who forsake 
such a God, as to relieve their own hearts. Thus Paul renders clearer the 
sin of those who worship the creature rather than the Creator, by declar- 
ing him to be worthy of all praise. Who is blessed for ever. Amen. 
Blessed, i. e. worthy to be praised, or reverenced. Amen is a Hebrew 
word, signifying true, and also truth. When used adverbially at the be- 
ginning of a sentence, it expresses afl[irmation or assurance, verily : at the 
end, it expresses desire or approbation, so let it be, or it is true. It is 

D 



38 ROMANS 1 : 18—32. 

therefore employed to express assent to the prayers offered by one in the 
name of others. 

(26) For for this cause God gave them up to vile affections^ &c. This 
verse repeats, in a more definite form, the idea of v. 24. The reasons 
why Paul refers in the first instance to the sins of uncleanness, in illus- 
tration and proof of the degradation of the heathen, probably are, 1. 
That these sins are always intimately connected with idolatry, forming 
often even a part of the worship rendered to the false gods ; 2. That in 
turning from the pleasures of holiness, or intercourse with God, men 
naturally turn to the pleasures of sense ; 3. That these sins are pecu- 
liarly brutalizing, leading sooner to the destruction of all elevated feel- 
ing, and especially of all sense of divine things, than almost any other ; 
4. That they were the most notorious, prevalent, and openly acknowledged 
and defended of all the crimes of the heathen. As men degraded God, 
they also degraded themselves below the level of the beasts, by their 
devotion to worse than brutal passions.* 

(27) This corruption of morals was confined to no one class or sex. 
Paul first refers to the degradation of females among the heathen, be- 
cause they are always the last to be affected in the decay of morals ; 
and, therefore, when they are abandoned, the very fountains of purity 
are corrupted. It is unnecessary to say more than that virtue has lost 
its hold on the female sex, in any community, to produce the conviction 
that it has already reached the lowest point of degradation. 

Paul again presents the idea that this deep depravity of the heathen was 
the consequence and punishment of their abandonment of God. Receiving 
in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. Error means 
aberration, a wandering from God, or truth, or virtue. Hence the word 
is used for apostasy^ Ezek. 33 : 10, and perhaps 2 Pet. 2:18; for deceit, 
and also wickedness generally^ James 5: 20. Jude 11. Here, from the 
context, the first meaning appears to be the best. It was wandering 
from God which brought them to such degradation. " Them that 
honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly 
esteemed," 1 Sam. 2 : 30. According to another interpretation, the error 
here intended is the commission of the unnatural crimes just spoken of; 
and the recompense the natural evils consequent upon them. This also 
gives a good sense, but not so consistent with the drift of the whole pas- 
sage. 

(28) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God 
gave them over to a reprobate mind, &c. Another repetition of the senti- 
ment of vs. 24, 26, that those who abandon God, he also abandons. To 
have in knowledge is a stronger expression than to know. ' They did not 
deem it worth while to retain the knowledge of God.' The ground form 

* How common the crimes mentioned in this and the following verse were, may 
be inferred from the declaration of Martial, that no one was so timidly modest as to 
fear being detected in their commission. See Grotius on v. 27. 



ROMANS 1: 18—32. 39 

of the verb rendered they did not like means, 1. To test or prove ,- 2. To 
approve, to judge worthy, 1 Cor. 16: 3, "whom ye shall approve;" 3. 
To discern or decide upon. The second signification seems best suited to 
this passage. ' They did not think it of any account to retain the know- 
ledge of the true God.' 

Reprobate mind. The word for reprobate is derived from the same root 
with the verb just spoken of. There is, therefore, a correspondence 
between the terms which is not preserved in our version. ' As they did 
not approve of God, he gave them up to a mind which no one could ap- 
prove.' The word literally means that which cannot bear the test ,• see 
1 Cor. 9 : 27. 2 Cor. 13 : 5 — 7. It is applied, therefore, to any thing 
which is actually rejected, or is worthy of universal disapprobation. 
This is its meaning generally, if not universally, in common Greek, as 
well as in the New Testament. 

To do those things which are not convenient. This is the consequence 
of the dereliction just spoken of, and the natural fruit of a reprobate 
mind. Things not convenient are things which are not becoming the na- 
ture or duties of man. They include all the crimes enumerated in the 
following verses. 

(29 — 31) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, 
&c. These and other crimes were not of rare occurrence. The heathen 
we7-e filled with them. They not only abounded, but in many cases were 
palliated, and even justified. To their existence and prevalence, there- 
fore, Paul appeals as to a notorious fact. Dark as the picture here 
drawn is of the morals of the heathen world, it is not so dark as that 
drawn by the most distinguished Greek and Latin authors of their re- 
spective countrymen. On the two preceding verses, and on every word 
in those which follow to v. 32, Wetstein and Grotius quote even ad nau 
seam from ancient writers, passages which more than bear out the dread 
ful charges of the apostle. See also Leland's Work on the Necessity 
for a Divine Revelation, and Tholuck's Dissertation on the Morals of the 
Heathen, &c., translated for the Biblical Repository, Vol. II. What 
Paul says of the ancient heathen is found to be true, in all its essential 
features, of those of our own day. It is an interesting fact that the mis- 
sionaries in the East Indies have frequently been accused by the heathen 
of having forged the whole of the latter part of this chapter. They can- 
not believe that such an accurate description of themselves could have 
been written eighteen centuries ago. Wherever men have existed there 
have they manifested themselves to be sinners, ungodly, and unright- 
eous, and consequently justly exposed to the wrath of God. 

(32) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such 
things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them 
that do them. As Paul had before showed that the impiety of the heathen 
is inexcusable, inasmuch as they have a knowledge of God, so he here 
shows that their immorality is equally without defence. These crimes 
are not committed ignorantly. They know the judgment of God. The 



40 ROMANS 1: 18—32. 

word rendered judgment, as well as the corresponding Hebrew term, is 
used in a very wide sense in the Scriptures, for any thing which God has 
ordained or commanded ; as in the frequent phrase, " thy judgments," in 
the Old Testament. Hence it includes the law of God. This is its 
meaning here, ' they know the law of God — what he has commanded ;' 
see Luke 1 : 6. Rom. 2 : 26. They are acquainted not only with the 
precept, but the sanction of this law; they know not only that these 
crimes are forbidden, but that those who do them are worthy of death. 
Death here, as often elsewhere, means the penalty of the law, all those 
evils by which sin is punished, Rom. 6 : 23. The idea, therefore, is, 
that the heathen know that they deserve punishment for their crimes ; 
in other words, that they are justly exposed to the wrath of God. How 
they know this, Paul does not here say, but explains in the next chap. 
V. 14. It was a knowledge written upon their hearts, or included in the 
very constitution of their nature ; it was implied in their being moral 
beings. The crimes of the heathen were not only aggravated by being- 
committed against a knowledge of their turpitude and ill desert, but also 
by their being deliberate. » They did not commit such offences in the 
heat of passion merely, but they took pleasure in those who did them. 
They were of set purpose and fixed preference, wicked ; and the promo- 
ters of all iniquity. Such is Paul's argument to prove that the Gentiles 
are all under sin, are justly chargeable with impiety and immorality, and 
consequently exposed to the divine displeasure. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The punitive justice of God is an essential attribute of his nature. 
This attribute renders the punishment of sin necessary, and is the foun- 
dation of the need of a vicarious atonement, in order to the pardon of sin- 
ners. This doctrine the apostle assumes as a first principle, and makes 
the basis of his whole exposition of the doctrine of justification, v. 18. 

2. That sin is a proper object of punishment, and that, under the right- 
eous government of God, it shall be punished, are moral axioms, which 
have ' a self-evidencing light,' whenever proposed to the moral sense of 
men, vs. 18, 32. 

3. God has never left himself without a witness among his rational 
creatures. Both in reference to his own nature and to the rule of duty, 
he has, in his works and in the human heart, given sufiicient light to 
render the impiety and immorality of men inexcusable, vs. 19, 20, 32. 

4. Natural religion is not a sufficient guide to salvation. What indi- 
vidual or what nation has it ever led to right views of God or of his 
law"? The experience of the whole world, under all the variety of cir- 
cumstances in which men have existed, proves its insufficiency, and con- 
sequently the necessity of a special divine revelation, vs. 21 — 23. 

5. The heathen, who have only the revelation of God in his works and 
in their own hearts, aided by the obscure traditionary knowledge which 



ROMANS 1 : 18—32. 41 

has come down to them, need the gospel. In point of fact, the light 
which they enjoy does not lead them to God and holiness, vs. 21 — 23. 

6. Error (on moral and religious subjects) has its root in depravity. 
Men are ignorant of God and duty, because they do not like to retain him 
in their knowledge, vs. 21, 28. 

7. God often punishes one sin by abandoning the sinner to the com- 
mission of others. Paul repeats this idea three times, vs. 24, 26, 28. 
This judicial abandonment is consistent with the holiness of God, and 
the free agency of man. God does not impel or entice to evil. He 
ceases to restrain. He says of the sinner. Let him alone, vs. 24 — 28. 

8. Religion is the only true foundation, and the only effectual safe- 
guard of morality. Those who abandon God, he abandons. Irreligion 
and immorality, therefore, have ever been found inseparably connected, 
vs. 24—28. 

9. It evinces, in general, greater depravity to encourage others in the 
commission of crimes, and to rejoice in their commission, than to commit 
them one's self, v. 32. 

10. The most reprobate sinner carries about with him a knowledge of 
his just exposure to the wrath of God. Conscience can never be entirely 
extirpated, v. 32. 

REMARKS. 

1. It lies in the very nature of sin, that it should be inexcusable, and 
worthy of punishment. Instead, therefore, of palliating its enormity, we 
should endeavour to escape from its penalty, vs. 18, 33. 

2. As the works of God reveal his eternal power and Godhead, we 
should accustom ourselves to see in them the manifestations of his per- 
fections, vs. 18 — 21. 

. 3. The human intellect is as erring as the human heart. We can no 
more find truth than holiness when estranged from God ; even as we 
lose both light and heat when we depart from the sun. Those, in every 
age, have sunk deepest into folly, who have relied most on their own 
understandings. ' In thy light only, O God, can we see light,' v. 21, &c. 

4. If the sins of the heathen, committed under the feeble light of 
nature, are inexcusable, how great must be the aggravation of those com 
mitted under the light of the Scriptures ! v. 20. 

5. As the light of nature is insufficient to lead the heathen to God and 
holiness, it is one of the most obvious and urgent of duties to send them 
the light of the Bible, v. 20—23. 

6. Men should remember that their security from open and gross sins 
is not in themselves, but in God ; and they should regard as the worst 
of punishments, his withdrawing from them his Holy Spirit, v. 
24—28. 

7. Sins of uncleanness are peculiarly debasing and demoralizing. To 
be preserved from them is mentioned in Scripture as a mark of the divine 

d2 



42 ROMANS 2 : 1—16. 

favour, Eccl. 7 : 26. Prov. 22 : 14 ; to be abandoned to them, as the marfe 
of reprobation. 

8. To take pleasure in those who do good makes us better, as to de- 
light in those who do evil is the surest way to become even more degraded 
than they are themselves, v. 32 



CHAPTER II. 



CONTENTS. 



The object of this chapter is to establish the same charges against the 
Jews, which had just been proved against the Gentiles, and to show that 
they also were exposed to the wrath of God. It consists of three parts. 
The first contains an exhibition of those simple principles of justice upon 
which all men are to be judged, vs. 1 — 16. The second is an applica- 
tion of these principles to the case of the Jews, vs. 17 — 24. The third 
is an exhibition of the true nature and design of circumcision, intended to 
show that the Jews could not expect exemption on the ground of that 
rite, vs. 25—29. 

CHAP. 2: 1—16. 

^Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judg- 
est ; for.wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou 
that judgest doest the same things, ^gyt -y^e are sure that the judgment 
of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 
^And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, 
and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God ] *0r 
despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffer- 
ing ; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? 
^But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself 
wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment 
of God ; ^who will render to every man according to his deeds : ^to them 
who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and 
immortality, eternal life : ^but unto them that are contentious, and do not 
obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, ^tribu- 
lation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew 
first, and also of the Gentile ; ^°but glory, honour, and peace, to every 
man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile : *^for 
there is no respect of persons with God. ^^For as many as have sinned 
without law shall also perish without law : and as many as have sinned 
in the law shall be judged by the law; ^^(for not the hearers of the law 
are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. '^^For 
when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things con- 



ROMANS 2 : 1—16. 43 

tamed in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves : 
*^which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience 
also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else 
excusing one another;) ^^in the day when God shall judge the secrets of 
men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 



That men so impious and immoral, as those described in the preceding 
chapter, deserved the divine displeasure, and could never, by their own 
works, secure the favour of God, the Jew was prepared readily to admit. 
But might there not be a set of men, who, in virtife of some promise on 
the part of God, or of the performance of some special duties, could claim 
exemption from the execution of God's purpose to punish all sin ? To 
determine this point, it was necessary to consider a little more fully the 
justice of God, in order to see whether it admitted of impunity to sinners 
on the ground supposed. The first section of this chapter, therefore, is 
employed in expanding the principle of v. 18 of the first chapter. It 
contains a development of those principles of justice which commend 
themselves at once to every man's conscience. The first is, that he who 
condemns in others what he does himself, does thereby condemn himself, 
V. l^ The second, that God's judgments are according to the truth or 
real state of the case, v. 2. The third, that the special goodness of God, 
manifested towards any individual or people, forms no ground of exemp- 
tion from merited punishment, but being designed to lead them to repent- 
ance, when misimproved aggravates their condemnation, vs. 3 — 5. The 
fourth, that the ground of judgment are the works, not the external rela- 
tions or professions of men ; God will punish the wicked and reward the 
good, whether Jew or Gentile, without the least respect of persons, vs. 
6 — 11. The fifth, that the standard of judgment is the light which men 
have severally enjoyed. Those having a written law shall be judged by 
it, and those who have only the law written on their hearts (and that the 
heathen have such a law is proved by the operations of conscience, vs. 
13 — 15) shall be judged by that law, v. 12. These are the principles 
according to which all men are to be judged in the last day by Jesus 
Christ, V. 16. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) Therefore thou art inexcusable, man, whosoever thou art thatjudg- 
est, &c. In order to feel the force of the apostle's reasoning, it should be 
remembered that the principal ground on which the Jews expected accept- 
ance with God, was the covenant of God with Abraham, in which he 
promised to be a God to him and his seed after him. This promise they 
understood as securing the salvation of all those who retained their rela- 
tion to Abraham, by the observance of the law, and the rite of circumci- 
sion. They expected, therefore, to be treated as the favourites of God, 
and viewed, not so much in their own personal character, as in their rela- 



44 ROMANS 2: 1—16. 

tion to their great progenitor. We cannot sufficiently admire the skill 
with which Paul conducts his argument against this ground of confidence. 
He does not even name the Jew, and say, 'Therefore, O Jew, thou art 
inexcusable,' &c. He begins at such a distance, that the prejudices of his 
readers are not at all aroused. He states his principles so generally and 
so simply, that they must have forced the assent of the Jew, before he 
was at all aware of their application to himself. They are indeed self- 
evident, and yet, when admitted and. applied, are found to be destructive 
of the very foundation on which the children of Abraham expected to 
inherit his blessing. 

The connexion, indicated by the word therefore between this and the 
preceding chapter, is not very obvious. It may be explained thus : in 
V. 32, ch. 1, it is stated, that those who commit sin are conscious of its ill- 
desert ; those, therefore, who condemn it, acknowledge still more clearly 
its desert of punishment, and, of consequence, condemn themselves, if 
they are chargeable with it ; or to state the same view in a rather differ- 
ent form, ' Those who commit sin are worthy of death, much more those 
who encourage and delight in its commission, v. 32 ; and still more obvi- 
ously than either, he who, while he condemns others, himself commits 
the same offence.' 

Whosoever thou art that judgest. That the Jew is intended, in this, and 
the following verses, is evident, from the drift of the argument, from his 
being expressly named in vs. 9, 10, and from the direct application of the 
argument to him in v. 17, and onward. It was, no doubt, with design^ 
that the apostle made the address thus general in the first instance. The 
principle stated in the verse is true in relation to all men. The word 
rendered to judge means frequently to condemn, see v. 12. Acts 7 : 7. 
2Thess. 2 : 12, &c., and may be so rendered here, 'Thou art inexcusa- 
ble whosoever thou art that condemnest, for wherein thou condemnest 
another, thou condemnest thyself, for thou that condemnest doest the 
same things.' The apostle wished to show that the ready sanction, which 
the Jew gave to the condemnation of the Gentile, involved the condemna- 
tion of himself, inasmuch as Jew and Gentile were to be judged by the 
same general principles. 

The words rendered in that may mean because that, see ch. 8:3; or, in 
that, eo ipso, in the very act of condemning another, thou condemnest 
thyself. The reason for this declaration follows, ' Because thou that 
condemnest doest the same things.' The ground of condemnation is the 
thing done, not the person of the agent. This is the first principle. 

(2) But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth, 
against them which commit such things. The most probable interpreta- 
tion of this verse is the following : ' However perverse your judgments 
are in condemning others, while you excuse yourself, we know that God's 
judgments are not thus partial. His decisions are according to the truth, 
are correct and just, and according to the real state of the case, and not 
the external circumstances or relations of those concerned;' see v. 11. 



ROMANS 2: 1—16. 45 

John 8 : 15, 16, " Ye judge after the flesh ; my judgment is true." The 
connexion between this and the prAvious verse is thus obvious, * Ye 
judge one way, but God judgeth another.' The word rendered judgment 
often means condemnation j ch. 3: 8, " whose condemnation is just;" 
1 Cor. 11 : 29, 34, and frequently elsewhere. Its more general sense of 
judicial decision is more suitable, however, to this verse. This is the 
second principle. God's judgrfient is according to the truth, impartial, 
and founded upon the real character and conduct of men. 

(3) And thinkest thou this, Oman, thai judgest them which do such things, 
&;c. * If God's judgments are impartial and just, how can those escape 
who commit the very things which they condemn in others]' Paul's 
language includes the idea also, that if these things are condemned by 
men, how much more by a righteous God. The former, however, is the 
main point. It is preposterous to suppose that God will spare those who 
do what they are so ready to condemn others for doing. 

(4, 5) Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance, &c. 
Paul refers in this and the following verse to the common ground of se- 
curity of the Jews. They were God's peculiar people ; his goodness 
towards them proved that he would not deal with them as with others. 
That the Jews really entertained this opinion is evident, in the first 
place, from the apostle's argument here and in the next chapter, and in 
other parts of his writings, see ch. 9 and 11 ; from such expressions as 
those in Matt. 3:9," Think not to say, we have Abraham for our fa- 
ther," John 8 : 33 ; and from numerous declarations of the Jewish writers 
themselves on this subject. 

The connexion is distinctly marked by the particle or,- * Or admitting 
the general principle, that those, who do what they condemn in others, are 
themselves exposed to condemnation : do you so abuse the divine good- 
ness, as to suppose it will afford impunity in sin, when its real design is 
to lead you to repentance V Those despise the goodness of God who 
pervert it, and derive from it a license to sin, supposing either that God 
will never punish, because he long delays, or that his goodness towards 
us is so peculiar that we shall escape, though others perish; see 2 Pet. 
3 : 8, 9. The use of the several terms, goodness, forbearance, and long- 
suffering, serves to express more strongly the idea of the divine mercy. 
The word rendered riches is a favourite terra with the sacred writers, to 
express the idea of abundance or greatness, 2 Cor. 8 : 2. Eph. 1 : 7. 2 : 
7, &c. The word for goodness is a general term, expressive of mildness 
and kindness ; that rendered /or&earance signifies patience under suffering, 
and also under provocation. It is used also for a truce or respite, 1 Mace. 
12 : 25. It expresses here God's long delay of punishment. Long-suffer- 
ing, slowness to anger. JVot knowing, i. e. not regarding or considering 
* that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance,' i. e. is designed 
and adapted to produce this effect. 

(5) But, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thy^ 
self wrath, &c. The mercies and advantages of the Jews, and the pecu- 



46 ROMANS 2: 1—16. 

liar forbearance of God toward them, so far from being an evidence that 
God would ultimately spare them, would, by being abused, greatly ag- 
gravate their condemnation. " After thy hardness," &c. i. e. ' through, 
or on account ofthj hard and impenitent heart ;' see Eph. 1 : 5, 7. 3 ; 3, 
&c. The word rendered to treasure is used not only in reference to the 
hoarding up of things which are considered valuable, but also in the sense 
of accumulating or increasing one's stock of any thing good or bad ; see 
Amos 3 : 10. " Treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of 
wrath;" literally in the day, i. e. upon the day ; ' wrath on that day of 
wrath;' see v. 16. The abuse of God's mercies will cause an accumu- 
lation of the grounds of punishment on the day of judgment. This day 
is often called the day of wrath ; the day of vengeance, because then shall 
the wrath of God be most conspicuously displayed. "That day is a day 
of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, 
a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness," 
Zeph. 1 : 15. This is the day on which God's displeasure against all 
" ungodliness and unrighteousness," by whomsoever committed, shall be 
most signally displayed ; and when God's righteous judgment, and the 
fact that it is righteous, shall be most clearly revealed. These verses, 
therefore, contain a third important principle laid down by the apostle. 
The goodness of God can never secure impunity to sinners ; and its abuse 
will be sure to aggravate their guilt and punishment. 

(6) Who will render to every man according to his deeds. In this and 
the following verses, to the 11th, the important truth is taught, that the 
ground of the judgment of God is the works of men, not their relations or 
professions. Stress must be laid upon both members of the verse ; God 
will render to every one, Jew as well as Gentile, according to his works, 
in opposition to any other ground of judgment. 

(7) To them, who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory 
and honour and immortality, eternal life. The principle which is stated 
generally in the preceding verse is applied to the two great classes of 
men in this and the one following. ' God will render to every man 
according to his deeds ; to the good he will render life ; to the wicked 
tribulation and anguish.' This verse contains the description of the cha- 
racter and reward of the righteous. They are those whose affections and 
objects of pursuit are in heaven, "who seek glory and honour and im- 
mortality ;" and who seek these things ' by well doing,' by the perse- 
vering performance of all duty. To such, God will render eternal life. 
It is not to the Jew as Jew, nor to Gentile as the Gentile, any more than it 
is to the Catholic, the Episcopalian, or the Presbyterian, as such, but 
to the good as good, whether belonging to one class or the other, that 
eternal life is to be awarded. 

The word rendered patient continuance means often patience under 
afflictions, and also constancy, perseverance. Luke 8: 15, "who bring 
forth fruit with constancy ;" see 1 Thess. 1 : 3, the phrase " constancy 
of hope," for perseverance in hope j so in this verse " constancy of good 



ROMANS 2: 1—16. 47 

works" means constancy in the performance of good works ; which is 
the meaning which our translation so well expresses. Glory, honour, 
and immortality, i. e. a glorious and honourable immortality, though the 
idea is much more forcibly expressed by the words as they stand in our 
version. 

(8) But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, hut 
obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. Here the apostle describes 
the character and reward of the wicked. They are contentious and dis- 
obedient ; and their recompense is indignation and wrath. The sense of 
this verse is perfectly plain, although the construction in the original is 
not quite regular. The sentence, as connected with the preceding, would 
naturally be construed thus, 'But to the contentious (God will render) 
indignation and wrath.' As it stands it must be translated, < to the con- 
tentious indignation and wrath shall be rendered ;' which mode of con- 
struction is continued through the following verse. The phrase rendered 
those who are contentious, literally is those who are of contention ,• as 
* those who are of faith' means believers ; ' those who are of circumci- 
sion,' the circumcised, Acts 10 : 45. Gal. 3 : 7. Tit. 2:8; see Phil. 1 : 
16, 17. The word for contention, and the corresponding verb, are used 
frequently in reference specially to contending with any one in the sense 
of resisting his authority. 1 Sara. 12: 14, 15, "and not rebel (Greek 
contend) against the commandment of the Lord ;" Deut. 21 : 20, " this 
our son is stubborn and rebellious (contentious), he will not obey our 
voice." So, in this case, the contentious are the rebellious; those who 
do not obey God or the truth. The truth, i. e. true religion, the true 
standard of moral and religious duty ; see ch. 1 : 18. £ut obey unright' 
eousness. Instead of obeying truth and holiness, they yield obedience to 
sin ; unrighteousness being obviously taken in a wide sense for all that 
is morally wrong. Indignation and wrath, i. e. the greatest wrath. The 
former of the Greek words here used expresses sudden or temporary pas- 
sion, and the latter more permanent anger ; or the former refers to the 
internal emotion, the latter to the outward expression of it. The words 
are here to be understood metonymically for the effects of indignation 
and wrath, that is, severe punishment. And this is explained in the next 
verse. 

(9) Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, &c. 
Intensity, as is obvious, is expressed by the use of these nearly synony- 
mous words, tribulation and anguish. Every soul of man is a common 
biblical expression. The Greek and Hebrew words for soul are fami 
liarly used for person; * Let every soul,' i. e. every 'person,' ch. 13 : 1. 
To the Jew first and also the Gentile. It becomes now apparent that the 
apostle, in laying down these general principles of justice, by which the 
dealings of God are to be regulated, had the Jew specially in view. 
God, he says, will render to every man according to his works ; to the 
good eternal life, to the evil tribulation and anguish. And lest the every 
man should fail to arrest attention, Paul says expressly that the Jew aa. 



48 ROMANS 2: 1— IG. 

well as the Gentile is thus to be judged. The word first, here, may ex 
press either order or pre-eminence. According- to the former view the 
meaning is, 'This judgment shall begin with the Jew, and be extended 
to the Gentiles;' see ch. 1 : 16; according to the other, 'The Jew shall 
not only be punished as well as others, but, having been more highly 
favoured, his punishment shall be more severe.' In like manner, if the 
Jew is faithful, his reward will be the greater, as is intimated in the next 
verse. "The Jew first" is, therefore, equivalent to 'the Jew espe- 
cially.' As both ideas are correct, both may have been intended by the 
apostle. 

(10) But glory, honour, and peace to every man that worheth good, to the 
Jew first, and also to the Gentile. This verse is the converse of the pre- 
ceding. These verses state that, with regard to all men, the judgment 
of God is determined by their works. This is the ground of decision 
with respect to all, because God is perfectly impartial. 

(11) For there is no respect of persons with God. The word rendered 
respect of persons, and its cognates. Acts 10: 34. James 2: 9, are pecu- 
liar to the Hellenistic or Jewish Greek. They are derived from the 
phrase frequently occurring in the Old Testament, to lift up, or to accept 
the face (i. e. the person), in the sense of showing favour. This phrase 
is often used in a good sense. Gen. 19 : 21, " See I have accepted thee" 
(i. e. thy face). Job 42: 8. So 'accepted or lifted up of face,' means 
one honoured or favoured, 2 Kings 5:1. Isa. 3 : 3, &c. Most frequently, 
and especially when spoken of judges, it is used in a bad sense. Lev. 
19 : 15, " Thou shalt not accept the person of the poor," Prov. 24 : 23, 
&c. So in the New Testament, uniformly in the sense of improper par- 
tiality, Eph. 6 : 9. Col. 3: 25. James 2: 1. This verse then contains 
the sentiment which is at the foundation of the declaration of the pre- 
ceding verses. The Jews and Gentiles shall be treated on precisely the 
same principles, because God is perfectly impartial. There is no respect 
of persons with him. 

(12) For as many as have sinned without law, shall perish without law ,- 
and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law. In the 
preceding verse it was stated that God is impartial and just in all his 
judgments. This is confirmed, not only by the previous statement that 
he would judge every man according to his works, but also by the exhi- 
bition of the important principle announced in this verse. Men are to 
be judged by the light they have severally enjoyed. The ground of 
judgment is their works, the standard of judgment is their knowledge. 
^s many as have sinned without law, that is, as appears from the con- 
text, without a special revelation of the divine will; see 1 Cor. 9 : 21. 
The law, as used by the apostle, as will be seen hereafter, means the 
rule of duty, the will of God as revealed for our obedience; commonly, 
however, with special reference to the revelations made in the Scrip-- 
tures. This is evidently the case here. Shall perish without law, that 
is, shall be punished by a different standard, to wit, by that against 



ROMANS 3 : 1—16. 49 

which they have sinned. The word rendered perish^ from its opposi- 
tion to that used in the latter part of the verse, expresses the idea, ' be- 
ing condemned, shall be punished.' As many as have sinned in the 
law. In the law, i. e. subject to the law, as to be in the Jiesh, ch. 7 : 5. 
8 ; 8, &c., is to be subject to the flesh; to be in sin is to be under its 
control; see ch. 3 : 19, " What the law says, it says to those who are 
under the law," literally, those in the law, as here. The meaning, there- 
fore, obviously is, « Those who are under a special revelation of the will 
of God, and have sinned, &c. &c., shall he judged hy the law."* Judged, 
i. e. condemned, as the word often means, and as the context here re- 
quires. By the law, i. e. by means of the law, by it as the rule or stand 
ard ; see the same preposition so used, James 2 : 12. 2 Cor. 8 : 8. Paul 
no more asserts in this passage that all who have no revelation shall 
perish, than he does that all who have a revelation shall be condemned. 
He is not speaking of the actual destiny of either class, but of the rule 
by which men are to be judged. 

(13) For not the hearers of the law are just hefore God, hut the doers of 
the law shall he justified. The reason is here assigned for the declara- 
tion contained in the last clause of the preceding verse, « Those who are 
under the law shall be judged by it, or punished according to it, for it 
is not the mere possession of the law, but obedience to it, which is of 
avail before God. The expression hearers of the law is used because 
readers, before the multiplication of books by the press, were compara- 
tively few. Hence it was by hearing, rather than by reading, that 
knowledge was obtained. The phrase to be just hefore God, i. e. in his 
^ght or estimation, serves to explain the other equivalent term at the 
end of the verse, shall he justified. Both are evidently forensic expres- 
sions, and mean, shall be regarded and treated as just or righteous in 
the sight of God. The apostle has evident reference to the opinion of 
the Jews, that being a Jew was enough to secure admission into hea- 
ven. When Paul says the doers of the law shall be justified, he is of 
course not to be understood as teaching, contrary to his own repeated 
declarations and arguments, that men are actually to be justified by 
obedience to the law. This is the very thing which he is labouring to 
prove impossible. The context renders his meaning plain. He is speak- 
ing not of the method of justification available for sinners, but of the 
principles on which all who are out of Christ are to be judged. They 
shall be judged impartially, according to their works, and agreeably to 
their knowledge of duty. On these principles no flesh living can be 
justified in the sight of God. The only way, as he afterwards teaches, 
to escape their application, is to confide in Christ, in virtue of whose 
death God can be just and yet justify the ungodly who believe in him. 

Though this verse, with the 14th and 15th, form a parenthesis, as is 
evident from the 16th, which requires to be immediately connected with 
the 12th, yet they are intimately related to what immediately precedes. 
The 13th is the ground of what is asserted in the last clause of the 12th, 

E 



50 ROMANS 2: 1—16. 

viz. that those who have sinned under a law shall be condemned by it ; 
and vs. 14, 15, are the g-round of the assertion, that those who have sinned 
without a revelation shall yet be punished, because, though they have 
no law, they are a law unto themselves. 

(14) For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do hy nature the 
things of the law, &c. The word for does not indicate the connexion 
between this and the preceding verse, but between this and the first clause 
of the 12th, as just stated. 'The Gentiles are not excusable, although 
not amenable to the written law revealed to the Jews, since they have a 
law written upon their hearts, by which they shall be judged, and accord- 
ing to which they shall be punished.' In support of this assertion, the 
apostle appeals first to the moral acts of the heathen, as evincing a moral 
sense ; and secondly, v. 15, to the operations of their conscience. Do hy 
nature the things of the law. To do the things of the law is to do what the 
law prescribes. When they practise any of the virtues, or perform any 
moral acts, these acts are the evidence of a moral sense ; they show that 
the Gentiles have a rule of right and wrong, and a feeling of obligation, 
or, in other words, that they are a law unto themselves. The absence of 
all moral acts in the lower animals shows that they have no law or sense 
of moral obligation. But men, no matter how diversified may be their 
circumstances, all evince that they are under a moral law. 

Paul says, the heathen " do hy nature the things of the law." The 
word rendered nature often signifies the natural constitution, innate tend- 
ency or disposition. This expression is common in all languages, and 
is used, as in this case by the apostle, to refer us to a source of acts 
independent of external causes and influences. When it is said that an 
animal is cruel by nature, it is meant that its cruelty is to be accounted for 
by its natural constitution, and not by imitation or example. When, 
therefore, the Gentiles are said ' to do by nature the things of the law,' 
it is meant that they have not been taught by others. It is neither by 
instruction nor example, but by their own innate sense of right and 
wrong, that they are directed. Having this natural sense of right and 
wrong, though destitute of a law externally revealed, they are a law unto 
themselves. 

(15) Who show the work of the law written on their hearts, &c. The 
relative pronouns, when used in this way at the beginning of a clause, 
are often intended to introduce a reason for a preceding declaration. So 
here, the Gentiles are a law unto themselves, because they show the work 
of the law, &c. ; see ch. 1 : 25. 2 Cor. 8 : 10, &c. The expression work of 
the lavj may either mean the ' effect of the law,' viz. a knowledge of 
duty; or it may be a mere paraphrase for the law itself. Compare the 
somewhat similar expressions " work of the ministry," Eph. 4:12; 
" work of faith," 1 Thess. 1 : 3, though in neither of these cases is the 
word properly redundant. Paul says the Gentiles show that this law is 
written on their hearts by their actions, as stated in the previous verse. 

There is another source of proof as to the existence of this internal law 



ROMANS 2: 1—16. 51 

their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while 
accusing, or eke excusing one another. The former of these clauses may 
mean either * their conscience bearing witness to this law written in their 
hearts, i. e. assenting to it, and confirming it ;' or, what is better suited 
to the force of the word, ' their conscience bears the same testimony with 
their acts ; it joins to prove that they are a law unto themselves.' Con- 
science is then obviously put for its exercises. Paul appeals both to the 
conduct and inward experience of the Gfentiles in proof of his position, 
that they are not destitute of a rule of duty. 

The other clause of this verse is very variously explained. The word 
rendered in the mean while is sometimes an adverb, and sometimes a pre- 
position. Our translators take it here as the former. The sense then is, 
* Their conscience, and then their thoughts or moral judgments of appro- 
val or disapproval ;' or ' their conscience bears witness, and hereafter 
their thoughts (principles) shall approve or condemn them.' But the 
word is so intimately connected with the genitive which follows, that it 
seems much more natural to take it as a preposition ; as in Matt. 18 : 15, 
*' Tell him his fault between thee and him alone." Acts 15 : 9, " And 
put no difference between us and them," &c. ' Their thoughts between 
themselves, accusing or excusing;' that is, 'their moral judgments alter- 
nately approving or condemning.' This clause may be considered as 
merely an amplification of the previous one, so that the testimony of con- 
science is made to consist in these approving and disapproving judg- 
ments ; or it may be eonsi-dered as co-ordinate with it, and as containing 
another proof of the apostle's general position, that the Gentiles are a law 
unto themselves. There are, then, three arguments presented in favour 
of this position, the moral conduct of the heathen, their general moral 
sense, and these special acts of self-approbation and self-accusing. The 
use of the word and, between the second and third clauses, is rather in 
favour of this latter view. 

(16) In the day that God shall Judge the secrets of men, hy Jesus Christ, 
according to my gospel. This verse, according to the common and most 
natural interpretation, is to be connected with v. 12. Verses 13, 14, 15, 
although intimately related to the 12th, are yet evidently a parenthesis. 
Paul had said that those who had no law should be punished without 
reference to the written law, and that those who were subject to such a 
law should be judged by it, v. 12. He now adds, v. 16, that this is to 
be done on the last day, the day when God shall judge the secrets of 
men, &c. The secrets of men, not their works of parade, done to be seen 
and admired, but those hidden deeds of heart and life, which form the 
true criterion of character. Thus simply does he describe the great day, 
the day of judgment. This judgment shall be conducted by Jesus Christ, 
agreeably to our Saviour's own declaration, " The Father judgeth no 
man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son ;" see Acts 17 : 31. 
The fact that there is to be such a day of trial, and that Jesus Christ is to 
oe the judge, is part of the revelation contained in the gospel. Paul 



52 ROMANS 2 : 1—16. 

therefore adds, according to my gospel, which of course cannot mean that 
all men are to be judged by the gospel, whether they have heard it or 
not. This would be in direct contradiction to the principle which he had 
just been establishing, that men are to be judged by the light they seve- 
rally possess. The meaning is, that the fact of a final and righteous 
judgment is part of the revelation of the gospel. 

Such then are the principles on which Paul assures us that all men are 
to be judged. They commend themselves irresistibly to every man's 
conscience as soon as they are announced, and yet every false hope of 
heaven is founded on their denial or neglect. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The leading doctrine of this section is, that God is just. His 
judgments are infinitely removed above all those disturbing causes of 
ignorance and partiality by which the decisions of men are perverted, 
vl 1—16. 

2. The refuge which men are always disposed to seek in their sup- 
posed advantages of ecclesiastical connexion, as belonging to the true 
church, &c. &c., is a vain refuge. God deals with men according to 
their real character, vs. 2, 3. 

3. The goodness of God has both the design and tendency to lead men 
to repentance. If it fails, the fault must be their own, v. 4. 

4. It is a great abuse of the divine goodness and forbearance to derive 
encouragement from them to continue in sin. Such conduct will cer- 
tainly aggravate our condemnation, vs. 3 — 5. 

5. None but the truly good, no matter what the professions, connex- 
ions, or expectations of others may be, shall be saved ; and none but the 
truly wicked, whether Gentile or Jew, Christian or heathen, shall be lost, 
vs. 6—10. 

6. The goodness which the Scriptures approve consists, in a great de- 
gree, in the pursuit of heavenly things ; it is a seeking after glory, ho- 
hour, and immortality, by a persevering continuance in well-doing. It 
is the pursuit of the true end of our being by the proper means, v. 7. 

7. The responsibility of men being very different in this world, their 
rewards and punishments will, in all probability, be very different in the 
next. Those who knew not their Lord's will shall be beaten with few 
stripes. And those who are faithful in the use of ten talents shall be 
made rulers over ten cities, vs. 9, 10. 

8. The heathen are not be judged by a revelation of which they never 
heard. But as they enjoy a revelation of the divine character in the 
works of creation, ch. 1 : 19, 20, and of the rule of duty in their own 
hearts, vs. 14, 15, they are inexcusable. They can no more abide the 
test by which they are to be tried, than we can stand the application of 
the severer rule by which we are to be judged. Both classes, therefore, 
need a Saviour, v. 12. 



ROMANS 2: 17—29. 53 

9. The moral sense is an original part of our constitution, and not the 
result of education, v. 14. 

10. Jesus Christ, who is to sit in judgment upon the secrets of all 
men, must be possessed of infinite knowledge, and therefore be divine, 
V. 16. 

REMARKS. 

1. The deceitfulness of the human heart is strikingly exhibited in the 
different judgments which men pass upon themselves and others ; con- 
demning in others what they excuse in themselves. And it not unfre- 
quently happens that the most censorious are the most criminal, vs. 1, 3. 

2. How does the goodness of God affect us ? If it does not lead us 
to repentance, it will harden our hearts and aggravate our condemnation, 
vs. 4, 5. 

3. Genuine repentance is produced by discoveries of God's mercy, 
legal repentance by fear of his justice, v. 4. 

4. Any doctrine which tends to produce security in sin must be false. 
The proper effect of the enjoyment of peculiar advantages is to increase 
our sense of responsibility, and our gratitude to God, and not to make us 
suppose that we are his special favourites. God is no respecter of per- 
sons, vs. 3 — 10. 

5. How vain the hopes of future blessedness, indulged by the immo- 
ral, founded upon the expectation either that God will not deal with 
them according to their works, or that the secrets of their hearts will 
not be discovered ! vs. 6 — 10, 16. 

6. If God is a just God, his wrath is not to be escaped by evasions, 
but in the way of his own appointment. If we have no righteousness of 
our own, we must seek that of the Saviour, vs. 1 — 16. 

7. He who died for the sins of men is to sit in judgment upon sinners. 
How dreadful for those who reject his atonement! How delightful for 
those who confide in his merit ! v. 16. 

CHAP. 2: 17—29. 

*7Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest 
thy boast of God, ^^and knowest his will, and approvest the things that 
are more excellent, being instructed out of the law ; ^^and art confident 
that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in 
darkness, ^^an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast 
the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. ^iThou therefore 
which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself! thou that preachest a 
man should not steal, dost thou steal 1 ^a-phou that sayest a man should 
not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest 
idols, dost thou commit sacrilege ? ^sThou that makest thy boast of the 
law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God 1 ^^por the name 
of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. 
2^For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law : but if thou be 

e2 



54 ROMANS 2: 17—29. 

a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. ^OTj^gj-g 
fore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not 
his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision T ^''And shall not un- 
circumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by 
the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law ? ^^For he is not a 
Tew which is one outwardly ; neither is that circumcision which is out- 
ward in the flesh : ^obut he is a Jew which is one inwardly ; and cir- 
cumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter ; whose 
praise is not of men, but of God. 

ANALYSIS. 

This section consists properly of two parts. The first, vs. 17 — 24, 
contains an application of the principles, laid down in the former sec- 
tion, to the case of the Jews. The second, vs. 25 — 29, is an exhibition 
3f the nature and design of circumcision. The principal grounds of 
dependence on the part of the Jews were, 1. Their covenant relation to 
God. 2. Their superior advantages as to divine knowledge. 3. Their 
circumcision. Now if it is true that God will judge every man, Jew or 
Gentile, according to his works, and by the law which he has enjoyed, 
what will it avail any to say, ' We are Jews, we have the law, v. 17; 
we have superior knowledge, v. 18 ; we can act as guides and instruct- 
ors to others, v. 19 1 This may all be very true, but are you less a tbief 
merely because you condemn stealing 1 less an adulterer because you 
condemn adultery? or less a blasphemer because you abhor sacrilege? 
vs. 21, 22. This superior knowledge, instead of extenuating, only ag- 
gravates your guilt. While boasting of your advantages, you, by your 
sins, bring a reproach on God, vs. 23, 24. According to the first princi- 
ples of justice, therefore, your condemnation will be no less certain, and 
far more severe than that of the Gentiles.' As to circumcision, to which 
the Jews attached so much importance, the apostle shows that it could 
avail nothing, except on condition of obedience to the law or covenant to 
which it belonged, v. 25. If the law is broken, circumcision is worth- 
less, V. 25, latter clause. On the other hand, if the law is obeyed, tlie 
want of circumcision will not prevent a blessing, v. 26. More than 
this, if those less favourably situated than the Jews are found obedient, 
they will rise up in judgment against the disobedient, though favoured, 
people of God, v. 27. All this proves that an external rite can, in itself, 
have no saving power : because God is a Spirit, and requires and re- 
gards spiritual obedience alone. This principle is stated, first nega- 
tively, he is not a Jew who is such in profession merely, v. 29, and then 
affirmatively, he is a Jew who is one inwardly, v. 29. 

COMMENTARY. 

(17) Behold thou art aJew^ and restest in the law^ andmakest thy boasi 
of God. The main ground of confidence in the Jew was that he was ono 
of the eovenant people of God. To this, therefore, Paul first refers 



I 



ROMANS 2: 17— -29. 55 

7%ou art called a Jew^ i. e. one of the people of God. The word Jew is 
evidently taken here in its religious rather than its civil or national sense ; 
it expresses the relation of the people to God rather than to other na- 
tions. A Jew, therefore, in opposition to a Gentile, was a member of 
the true church, a child of Abraham, &c. In this sense the word occurs 
•again in vs. 28, 29. Rev. 2:9, "I know the blasphemy of those who 
say they are Jews, and are not." 

Restest in ihe law, i. e. reclinest upon it as a ground of confidence. 
The same word occurs in the Septuagint version of the strikingly analo- 
gous passage in Micah 3 : 11, "The heads thereof judge for reward, 
and the priests thereof teach for hire, the prophets thereof divine for 
money ; yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say. Is not the Lord 
among us? None evil can come upon us." This is precisely the spirit 
which Paul reproves, a reliance on external advantages, connected with 
security in sin. The law here means the whole civil and religious polity 
of the Jews ; the Mosaic system, the possession of which made such a 
distinction between them and other nations, and conferred upon them 
such exalted privileges. 

And makest thy boast of God. The words which are thus correctly 
rendered here, occur in a very different sense in ch. 5: 11, where they 
are translated we joy in God. The word rendered to boast is expressive of 
self-gratulation, with or without sufficient reason. It is therefore often 
used for vain boasting. Its meaning here is obvious. The Jews consi- 
dered that they had reason for self-gratulation and exaltation in their 
peculiar relation to God. Their boast and confidence was that he was 
their God, and that they were his people. 

(18) And knowest his will, and approvest the things which are most 
excellent, &c. The second ground of confidence was their superior 
knowledge. The Jews not only supposed themselves to stand in a more 
favourable relation to God than the Gentiles, but they regarded them- 
selvesas personally greatly their superiors; having better knowledge of 
divine things, &c. On the ground of this superiority they expected to 
be treated with especial favour when they appeared before God. To this 
ground of confidence the apostle now refers. Knowest his will, ' art 
possessed of a divine revelation ;' or, ' knowest what is pleasing to God.' 
The next clause may be rendered, either thou approvest the things that 
are more excellent ; or thou discernest {can decide about) the things which 
differ. The usage of the Greek terms admit of either of these versions. 
The context is in favour of the latter, as the point in hand is the superior 
knowledge of the Jews, by which they were able to decide questions of 
duty which others could not, and hence thought themselves fit to be their 
guides and teachers. The same phrase occurs again, Phil. 1 : 10, where 
it may be rendered as it is here. 

(19, 20) And art confident that thou thyself art a guide to the blinr^^ 
and a light to them that are in darkness, &c. What is expressed figi. 
ratively in this verse, is expressed literally in the one that follows — an 



56 ROMANS 2 : 17—29. 

instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes. There is no trait of th« 
Jewish character more prominently exhibited than their self-confident 
superiority to others. Hence their desire to make proselytes, their end- 
less inculcation of the commands of men for the doctrines of God, their 
contempt of the Gentiles, &c. &c. Their Rabbins were in the habit of 
calling- themselves ' the light of the world.' Which hast the form of 
knowledge and truth in the law. The word rendered form means the 
external shape or appearance of a thing ,- 2 Tim. 3 : 5, <' Having the 
form of godliness." It also signifies a just representation, and then a 
rule. The idea is, ' they have in the law a perfect representation of 
what truth and duty are,' or ' a perfect rule of moral truth.' The words 
"knowledge and truth," by a common figure, may mean true knowledge,- 
or be equivalent to knowledge of the truth. 

(21, 22) Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thy~ 
self? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? &c. For 
the connexion of this verse with the 17th, see the note on that passage. 
We have here the application of the above reasoning to the hopes of the 
Jews. If men are to be judged according to their tuorA;^, those who do 
wickedly, who steal, commit adultery and sacrilege, no matter whether 
they are called Jews, and make their boast in God, and are instructed out 
of the law, or not, shall assuredly be condemned. It is evident that the 
crimes of theft, adultery, and sacrilege are here specified, not as crimes 
which all the Jews committed, but as examples merely. ' If you, though 
Jews, do what you condemn in others, you will not escape the righteous 
judgment of God. So far from this, your superior advantages will 
increase the weight of your condemnation.' Paul intended forcibly to 
assert that the Jews were guilty of these and other crimes, and it matters 
little whether the interrogative or affirmative form of address be adopted; 
i. e. whether we read ' Dost thou steal V or ' Thou dost steal, dost com- 
mit adultery,' &c. It is a mere matter of punctuation. The interroga- 
tion gives the assertion rather more point. It has been questioned whether 
the apostle, in charging the Jews with satrilege, had referance to the 
specific crime of temple-robbery, or more generally to the wicked and pro- 
fane abuse and perversion of sacred things. Most probably to the latter, 
because there is no historical evidence of temple-robbery having been 
committed by them ; and because the prophets represent the withholding 
from God his due, and the appropriation of sacred things to a common use, 
as a robbery of God. Malachi 3 : 8, " Will a man rob God 1 Yet ye 
have robbed me. Bat ye say. Wherein have we robbed thee 1 In tithes 
and oflierings." While the Jews, therefore, abhorred idols, which was 
one form of showing contempt for God, they evinced, without compunc- 
tion, their want of reverence for the divine Being, in ways scarcely less 
offensive. That this abhorrence of idolatry was characteristic of the 
Jews after the captivity, is one of the most familiar facts in their history ; 
and it is as great now as at any former period. 

(23, 24) Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the 



ROMANS 2: 17—29. 57 

law, dishonourest thou God? &c. Another striking instance ot their not 
acting agreeably to their advantages, while making a boast of the law, 
and of their peculiar relation to God, as their God, and theirs only ; in- 
stead of acting worthily of this relation, they so acted, that the name of 
God was every day blasphemed ; that is, the Gentiles were constantly 
led to speak and think evil of a God, whose worshippers were so wicked 
as the Jews. This assertion he confirms by the declarations of their own 
prophets ; see Ezek. 36 : 20, 23. 

(25) For circumcision verily profiteth if ihou keep the law, &c. It had 
obviously been implied in the previous reasoning of the apostle, that the 
Jews, being chargeable with the sins just mentioned, could not escape 
the righteous judgment of God ; for circumcision is of no account, unless 
the law be obeyed ; if that is broken, circumcision is uncircumcision. 
The connexion between this and the preceding verses is thus obvious. 
The design of this passage, vs. 25 — 29, therefore, is to show that circum- 
cision afforded no security to the Jews. This rite was regarded by the 
Hebrews, and is considered by the apostle under two diJEFerent aspects. 
First, as a rite possessed of inherent efficacy or merit of its own ; and, 
secondly, as a sign or seal of God's covenant. In the former view, Paul 
here, as well as elsewhere (see Gal. 6 : 15), says, " circumcision is 
nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing." In the latter, it had its legiti 
mate and important value. As a seal it was attached, in the first place 
to the national covenant between God and the Jews. It was a sign of 
the existence of that covenant, and a pledge, on the part of God, that he 
would fulfil its promises. If any Jew fulfilled his part of that covenant, 
and in that sense kept the law, his circumcision would profit him ; it 
would secure to him all the blessings of Judaism. But it was also, in 
the second place, attached to the spiritual covenant made with Abraham. 
" It was a seal of the righteousness of faith," i. e. was designed as an, 
assurance that he was regarded as righteous by means of his faith, and 
that he should be treated accordingly. To all those Jews who had the 
faith of Abraham, and thus kept the covenant, or law of justification, 
established with him, circumcision was in like manner profitable. It was 
the visible sign and pledge of the divine favour. On the other hand, if 
either the national or spiritual covenant were broken, circumcision was 
of no more use than the seal of a contract after all its binding parts had 
been obliterated. In other words, the validity of a covenant or contract 
depends on the per'formance of its conditions, not on the mere possession 
of its seal. Paul, therefore, tells the Jews that there was no inherent 
efficacy in circumcision, that it could avail them nothing unless they 
obeyed the law; if they were transgressors of the law, as he had just 
declared them to be, their circumcision was made uncircumcision. That 
is, it would do them no good ; and though of the number of the people 
of God, they should be treated as though they were not. 

(26) Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, 
shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision ? In order to 



58 ROMANS 2 : 17—29. 

present the nature of this rite in its true light, he reverses the statement 
of the previous verse. Circumcision cannot profit any one if the law is 
Droken ; and the want of it cannot invalidate the promise, if the law is 
kept. In other words circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is 
nothing, but keeping the commandments of God. The rite, in itself 
considered, is of no avail. If a man should faithfully perform all the 
conditions of a contract, the absence of the seal would not, in the judg- 
ment of equity, invalidate his claim, any more than the possession of 
the seal, while the conditioHS remained unperformed, would entitle him 
to the specified reward. 

The word uncircumcision, in the beginning of the verse, obviously 
means an uncircumcised person, by a commoft metonymy, but, in the 
latter clause, it is to be taken literally. The righteousness of the law, 
* the prescriptions of the law ;' its various demands. Paul does not say 
that any heathen does fully answer the demands of the law, the case is 
merely stated hypothetically to show the little weight due to circumci- 
sion. The last clause, his uncircumcision shall be counted for circumci- 
sion, is an example of a very common Hebrew idiom; according to which 
the preposition here rendered for is placed after verbs signifying to be, 
to become, or to be regarded, where, in Greek, the nominative would be 
used. The apostle's meaning is obvious. ' The one shall be regarded 
and treated as though it were the other.' 

(27) And shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature, judge thee, &c. 
As pointed and understood by our translators, this verse expresses 
more than the preceding one. The obedient Gentile would not only be 
accepted, although uncircumcised, but he would rise up and condemn the 
more favoured Jew. Which is by nature, i. e. which is natural. Judge 
thee, i. e. condemn thee, as this word is often used, see v. 1. Render thy 
condemnation and its justice more conspicuous. As the men of Nineveh 
and the queen of the south are to rise in judgment against the neglecters 
of Christ and his gospel and condemn them. Matt. 13 : 41, 43. The 
Jew is here described as one ' who by the letter and circumcision trans- 
gresses the law.' The word for letter means not only an alphabetic cha- 
racter, but also any thing written ; John 5 : 47, " If they believe not his 
writings ;" 2 Tim. 3 : 15, " Thou hast known the sacred Scriptures." It 
means here the written law, see v. 29, and ch. 7:6, " Not according to 
the oldness of the letter," i. e. the old written law ; 2 Cor. 3:6, " Hath 
made us ministers, not of the letter, but of the spirit," that is, ' not of 
the written law, but of the spiritual dispensation.' The preposition here 
rendered by, "by the letter and circumcision," may often be rendered 
with, and should be so translated here ; ' Who with the letter and cir- 
cumcision ;' that is, ' who, although possessed of the letter, i. e. the 
written law, and circumcision, art a transgressor of the law ;' see ch. 4 : 
11. Heb. 9: 14. The words "letter and cricumcision" might, by a 
common figure, be taken to mean literal circumcision ; but this is, in the 



ROMANS 2: 17—29. 59 

•first p.ace, unrrecessary, and, in the second, not so well suited to the con- 
text, as nothing is said here of a spiritual circumcision, and as the law is 
too prominent a point in the advantages of the Jews to allow of the term 
which expresses it here, to be merged in a mere epithet. 

(28, 29) For he is not a Jew which is one ouiwardlyy neither is that cir- 
cumcision which is outward in the Jlesh, &c. These verses assign the 
reason why the external rite of circumcision can avail so little. God 
regards the heart, and not the external circumstances of men. This sen- 
timent is expressed, first negatively, v. 28, and then affirmatively, v. 29. 
The word Jew is here, as in v. 17, to be taken in its religious sense. He 
is not a Jew, or a child of God, who is such by profession only, or in 
external appearance. Neither is the circumcision which is outward, in 
the flesh, that on which the Scriptures lay so much stress, as when it is 
said, "I will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your children, to 
love the Lord thy God," Deut. 30 : 6. The sign is nothing without the 
spiritual blessing which it signifies. But he is a Jew which is one in- 
wardly. He only is really one of the people of God who is such in 
heart ; see 1 Pet. 3 : 4, where the word, which properly means hidden, 
secret, is also to be understood in the sense of internal, inward. And 
circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter, see 
Deut. 10: 16. The words iii the spirit, not in the letter, are evidently 
explanatory of the circumcision of the heart of which the apostle is 
speaking; but they may be understood variously. In the spirit may 
mean spiritual, as relating to the spirit, and not to the body, and in the 
letter would then mean literal ; ' Circumcision of the heart which is spi- 
ritual and not literal.' Or in the spirit may be rendered hy the Spirit. 
This gives a better sense, ' Circumcision of the heart which is effected 
by the Spirit, and not made after the direction of the written law ;' com- 
pare Col. 2: 11. According to this view, the word rendered letter le- 
tains the meaning it has in the preceding verses. The general sentiment, 
however, is in either case the same. 

Whose praise is not of men, hut of God. The word whose refers to 
the Jew just described. His excellence is internal, seen and acknow- 
ledged of God : not such as falls under the observation of men. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. Membership in the true church, considered as a visible society, is 
no security that we shall obtain the favour of God. The Jews, before 
the advent, were members of the true and only church, and yet Paul 
teaches they were not on that account the more acceptable to God. 
Multitudes of Jewish converts were members of the apostolic church, 
and yet, retaining their former doctrines and spirit, were in the gall of 
bitterness, v. 17. 

2. Mere knowledge cannot commend us to God. It neither sanctifies 
the heart, nor of itself renders men more useful. When made the ground 



60 ROMANS 2: 17—29. 

of confidence, or the fuel of pride and arrogance, it is perverted and 

destructive, vs. 18 — 20. 

3. Superior knowledge enhances the guilt of sin, and increases the 
certainty, necessity, and severity of punishment, withoutin itself increas- 
ing the power of resistance. It is, therefore, a great mistake to make 
knowledge our sole dependence in promoting the moral improvement of 
men, vs. 18 — 20. 

4. The sins of the professing people of God are peculiarly offensive to 
him, and injurious to our fellow men, vs. 22—24. 

5. Here, as in the former part of the chapter, the leading idea is, that 
God is just. He asks not whether a man is a Jew or a Gentile, a Greek 
or Barbarian, bond or free, but what is his character? Does he do good 
or evin vs. 17 — 24. 

6. According to the apostle, the true idea of a sacrament is not that it 
is a mystic rite, possessed of inherent efficacy, or conveying grace as a 
mere opus operatum ; but that it is a seal and sign, designed to confirm 
our faith in the validity of the covenant to which it is attached ; and, 
from its significant character, to present and illustrate some great spiritual 
truth, V. 25. 

7. All hopes are vain which are founded on a participation of the 
sacraments of the church, even when they are of divine appointment, as 
circumcision, baptism, and the Lord's supper ; much more when they 
are of human invention, as penance and extreme unction, vs. 26, 27. 

8. Religion and religious services, to be acceptable to God, must be 
of the heart, mere external homage is of no account, vs. 28, 29. 



1. The sins and refuges of men are alike in all ages. The Jew expect- 
ed salvation because he was a J';W, so does the Catholic because he is a 
Catholic, the Greek because he is a Greek, and so of others. Were it 
ever so certain that the church to which we belong is the true, apostolic, 
universal church, it remains no less certain that without holiness no man 
shall see God, v. 17, &c. 

2. Having superior knowledge should make us anxious, first, to go 
right ourselves, and then to guide others right. To preach against evils 
which we ourselves commit, while it aggravates our guilt, is little likely 
to do others much good, v. 18, &c. 

3. Christians should ever remember that they are the epistles of Jesus 
Christ, known and read of all men; that God is honoured by their holy 
living, and that his name is blasphemed when they act wickedly, vs. 
23, 24. 

,4. Whenever true religion declines, the disposition to lay undue stress 
on external rites is increased. The Jews, when they lost their spiritual- 
ity, supposed that circumcision had power to save them. ' Great is the 
virtue of circumcision,' they cried, ' no circumcised person enters hell.' 
The Christian church, when it lost its spirituality, taught that water in 



ROMANS 3: 1—8. 61 

baptism washed away sin. How large a part of nominal Christians rest 
all their hopes on the idea of the inherent efficacy of external rites ! v. 
25, &c. 

5. While it is one dangerous extreme to make religion consist in the 
ohservance of external ceremonies, it is another to undervalue them, when 
of divine appointment. Paul does not say that circumcision was useless ; 
he asserts its value. So, likewise, the Christian sacraments, baptism 
and the Lord's supper, are of the utmost importance, and to neglect or 
reject them is a great sin, v. 26, &c. 

6. If the heart be right in the sight of God, it matters little what 
judgment men may form of us ; and, on the other hand, the approbation 
of men is a poor substitute for the favour of God, v. 29. 



CHAPTER m. 

CONTENTS. 

This chapter may be divided into three parts. The first contains ? 
brief statement and refutation of the Jewish objections to the apostle'a 
reasoning, vs. 1 — 8. The second, a confirmation of his doctrines from 
the testimony of Scripture ; and a formal drawing out and declaration of 
his conclusion, that, ' by the works of the law no flesh living can be justi 
fled before God,' vs. 9 — 20. The third, an exposition of the gospel 
method of justification, vs. 21 — 31. 

CHAP. 3 : 1—8. 

^What advantage then hath the Jew 1 or what profit zs there of circum- 
cision ] 2]\/[^p}^ every way : chiefly, because that unto them were com- 
mitted the oracles of God. ^For what if some did not believe ? shall 
their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? ^God forbid : yea, 
let God be true, but every man a liar, as it is written. That thou might- 
est be justified in tby sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art 
judged. ^But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of 
God, what shall we say 1 Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance ? 
(I speak as a man) <'God forbid : for then how shall God judge the 
world 1 Wot if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie 
unto his glory ; why yet am I also judged as a sinner 1 ^And not rather, 
(as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us 
do evil that good may come "J whose damnation is just. 

ANALYSIS. 

The first objection to Paul's reasoning here presented is, that according 
to his doctrine, the Jew has no advantage over the Gentile, v. 1. The 
apostle denies the correctness of this inference from what he had said, 

F 



62 ROMANS 3 : 1—8. 

and admits that the Jews have great advantages over all other people, v 
2. The second objection is, that God having promised to be the God of 
the Jews, their unfaithfulness, even if admitted, does not release him from 
his engagements, or make his promise of no effect, v. 3. Paul, in an- 
swer, admits that the faithfulness of God must not be called in question, 
let what will happen, vs. 4, 5 ; but he shows that the principle on which 
the Jews expected exemption from punishment, viz. because their un- 
righteousness commended the righteousness of God, is false. This he 
proves by showing first, that if their principle was correct, God could not 
punish any one. Gentile or Jew, vs. 5, 6, 7 ; and secondly, that it would 
lead to the absurdity, that it is right to do evil that good may come, v. 8. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) What advantage then hath the Jew ? or what profit is there of cir- 
cumcision ? The conclusion at which the apostle had arrived at the close 
of the preceding chapter was, that the Jews, as well as Gentiles, are to 
be judged according to their works and by their knowledge of the divine 
will ; and being thus judged, they are exposed to condemnation, notwith- 
standing their circumcision, and all other advantages. The most obvious 
objection to the mind of a Jew to this conclusion must have been, that it 
was inconsistent with the acknowledged privileges and superiority of his 
nation. This objection the apostle here presents. He states the diffi- 
culty himself, that he may have the opportunity of removing it. The 
word here rendered advantage., when used as a substantive, properly 
means that which is over, the excess, and then pre-eminence, superiority. 
This is its meaning here, ' what then is the pre-eminence of the Jew over 
the Gentile? according to your reasoning, there is no such thing;' com- 
pare, on this word, Matt. 5 : 47. 11 : 9. Luke 7 : 26. The second inter- 
rogation in this verse is nearly equivalent to the first; as circumcision 
may be taken as the sign of Judaism, ' what is the profit of being a Jew ]' 
Still as Paul had considered circumcision in the preceding chapter as a 
distinct ground of confidence, and as the Jews attributed to it so much 
importance, it is probably to be understood here of the rite itself. 

(2) Much every way : chiefly because unto them were committed the ora- 
cles of God. This is the answer of the objection presented in the first 
verse. It consists in a denial of the correctness of the inference from the 
apostle's reasoning. It does not follow, because the Jews are to be 
judged according to their works, that there is no advantage in being the 
peculiar people of God, having a divine revelation, &c. &c. Paul, there- 
fore, freely admits that the advantages of the Jews are great in every 
respect. The words rendered cA?e/??/ may be variously explained. They 
may, by supplying the verb is, be rendered ' the principal thing is ;' see 
Luke 15 : 22. 19 : 47. Acts 25 : 2. Or they may be taken, as by our 
translators, and rendered chiefly, especially ; see Matt. 6 : 33. 2 Pet. 1 : 
20; or what is perhaps more natural, in the first place ,- 'Their advan- 
tages are great, for first,' &c. That no enumeration follows, with secondly j 



I 



ROMANS 3 : 1—8. 63 

is no objection to this rendering-, for Paul often fails to carry oat an 
arrangement with which he commences ; see 1 : 8. Unto them were com- 
mitted. The construction of this clause, in the original, is one which 
frequently occurs in Paul's epistles ; see 1 Cor. 9 : 17. Gal. 2 : 7. Titus 
1:3. The oracles of God. The Greek word for oracles is often used, in 
a restricted sense, for oracular or prophetic declarations ; but in the Old 
and New Testament it occurs frequently in its general sense, for words^ 
any thing spoken. See Num. 24 : 4. Ps. 19 : 14, " let the words of my 
mouth," &c. Hence in reference to divine communications of any kind ; 
see Acts 7 : 38. Heb. 5 : 12, " The first principles of the oracles of God," 
1 Pet. 4:11. There is, therefore, no necessity for restricting the word 
here either to the prophecies or promises of God. It is to be understood 
of all his divine communications, i. e. of the Scriptures. 

(3) But what if some did not believe ? Shall their unbelief make the 
faith of God without effect ? This verse may express the sentiment of 
the apostle, or that of an objector. If the former, it may be explained 
thus : ' The advantages of the Jews are very great, and even if, as I have 
proved to be the case, many of them are unfaithful, this does not invali- 
date the promises of God, or render less conspicuous the favours which 
they have received at his hand. Of them the Messiah has been born; 
through them the true religion is to be spread abroad ; and they, as a 
nation, shall be ultimately restored,' &c. But this interpretation does 
not suit the context, nor the drift of the apostle's reasoning. 

It seems more natural to consider this verse as expressing the senti- 
ment of an objector, and that which follows as the apostle's answer. 
The objection is, that Paul's doctrine of the exposure of the Jews to 
condemnation is inconsistent with God's promises. * What if we have 
been unfaithful, or are as disobedient and wicked as you would make us 
appear, does that invalidate the promises of God % Must he be unfaith- 
ful too ? Has he not promised to be our God, and that we should be his 
people 1 These are promises not suspended on our good or evil con- 
duct.' In favour of this view it may be urged that it was obviously one 
of the great grounds of confidence of the Jews, that they were the pecu- 
liar people of God. Their great objection to Paul's applying his gene- 
ral principles of justice to their case was that they were not to be dealt 
with like other men. ' God has chosen us as his covenant people in 
Abraham. If we retain our relation to him by circumcision and the ob- 
servance of the law, we shall never be treated or condemned as the Gen- 
tiles.' Traces of this opinion are to be seen in the New Testament, and 
its open avowal among the Jewish writers. Matt. 3: 9, "Think not to 
say within yourselves. We have Abraham for our father." John 8 : 33, 
" We be Abraham's seed." See ch. 2: 17. 9:6, and other passages, in 
which Paul argues to prove that being the natural descendants of Abra- 
ham is not enough to secure the favour of God. That such was the doc- 
trine of the Jews appears from many passages of their writings, and 
from the testimony of the early Christians. It was a favourite saying 



64 ROMANS 3: 1—8. 

of the Jews, " All Israel hath a portion in eternal life." Justin Martyr 
says, " They suppose that to them universally, who are of the seed of 
Abraham, no matter how sinful and disobedient to God they may be, the 
eternal kingdom shall be given." . This interpretation, therefore, makes 
the verse in question present the objection which the Jews would be 
most likely to urge. A second consideration in its favour is, that the 
connexion with the following passage, vs. 4, 5, 6, is thus made much 
more natural and easy, as will appear from what follows. The words 
rendered did not believe, and unbelief, may, in perfect accordance with 
their meaning elsewhere, be rendered were unfaithful, and unfaithfulness. 
And this rendering is necessary to make the verse harmonious, and to 
express the apostle's meaning, ' What if some w^ere unfaithful 1 Shall 
their unfaithfulness make the faithfulness of God without effect 1' By 
the Jews being unfaithful, is not intended that they did not preserve the 
Scriptures which were committed to their care, but that they did not act 
agreeably to the relations in which they stood to God, were not faithful 
to their duties or advantages. It includes, therefore, every thing which 
the apostle had charged upon them as the ground of their condemnation. 
They were unfaithful to their part of the covenant between God and 
themselves. 

4. God forbid: yea, let God be true, but everyman a liar; as it is writ- 
ten, &c. The objection presented in the preceding verse is, that the apos- 
tle's doctrine, as to the condemnation of the Jews, is inconsistent with 
the faithfulness of God. * Is the faith of God without effect!' asks the 
objector. * By no means,' answers the apostle ; ' such is no fair infer- 
ence from my doctrine ; let God be true, and every man a liar. There is 
no breach of the promises of God involved in the condemnation of wicked 
Jews. Those promises were made not to the natural, but to the spiritual 
seed of Abraham, and will all be accomplished to the letter, and, there- 
fore, are not inconsistent with the condemnation of the unbelieving Jew.' 
All this, which is stated and urged at length in chs. 9 — 11, is included in 
the strong denial of the apostle that what he had taught was inconsist- 
ent with the divine faithfulness. 

God forbid. These words, which occur so often in our version, are a 
most unhappy rendering of the original, which means simply let it not 
be, equivalent, therefore, to by no means, or far from it. It is a mode of 
expression constantly used to express a strong denial. The Scriptures 
do not authorize such a use of the name of God, as this phrase shows to 
have been common among the English translators of the Bible. True, 
as used in this verse, means faithful, as the context shows, and as the 
term elsewhere signifies, John 3 : 33, &c. ; and liar expresses the oppo- 
site, unfaithful. The sentiment is, let God be, i. e. be seen and acknow- 
ledged as faithful, let the consequences be what they may. ' This must 
be true, whatever else is false.' This disposition to justify God under 
all circumstances, and at all events, Paul illustrates by the conduct of 
David, who acknowledged the justice of God in his own condemnation. 



ROMANS 3 ; 1—8. 65 

and confesses, " Against thee only have I sinned ; that thou mighiest be 
justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged," 
i. e. that thy rectitude, under all circumstances, might be seen and ac- 
knowledged. In this quotation Paul follows the Septuagint translation 
of Ps. 51:4. The Hebrew runs thus, ' That thou mightest be justified 
when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.' The general sen- 
timent is in either case the same, v. 12. God is just, and will always 
be found to be so. 

(5) But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of Gody what 
shall we say? Is God unrighteous, who taketh vengeance? I speak as a 
man. This is another cavilling objection of the Jew. ' Not only is 
God's fidelity pledged for our salvation, but the very fact of our being 
unrighteous will only render his righteousness the more conspicuous ; 
and consequently it would be unjust in him to punish us for what glori- 
fies himself.' This passage is somewhat obscure from being presented 
in the interrogative form, and from being the language of the apostle, 
though expressing the sentiment of an objector. It is obvious, however, 
that the point of the argument is, that God cannot consistently punish 
those whose unrighteousness serves to display his own rectitude. It is 
easy to perceive that these objections all suppose the Jew to have felt 
secure within the precincts of God's covenant with his forefathers. The 
fidelity of God rendered certain the bestowing of all promised blessings; 
and the unworthiness of the Jews, as it rendered the goodness and faith- 
fulness of God the more conspicuous, was no reason why they should be 
condemned. The words righteousness and unrighteousness are generic 
terms, the one including all moral excellence, and the other just the re- 
verse. What, therefore, before and after, is expressed by the more defi- 
nite terms, faithfulness and unfaithfulness, truth and falsehood, is here 
expressed more generally. The word rendered to commend signifies 
either to recommend, as one person to another, Rom. 16: 1 ; or to exhi- 
bit in a conspicuous manner ; see 5 : 8, " God commendeth his love to- 
wards us ;" 2 Cor. 7 : 11, " in all things ye have exhibited yourselves as 
clear in this matter;" Gal. 2 : 18, " I make myself (exhibit myself) as 
a transgressor." This is obviously the meaning of the word in this case. 

* If our unrighteousness render the righteousness of God conspicuous, 
what shall we say 1 What inference is to be drawn from this fact ! 
Are we to infer that God is unrighteous who taketh vengeance ? Far 
from it.' The word for vengeance is that which, in ch. 1 : 18, 2 : 5, is ren- 
dered wrath, and here is obviously taken for its effect, i. e. punishment ; 

* who inflicts punishment.' In order to make it evident that he was not 
expressing his own sentiments in using the language of this verse, Paul 
adds, I speak as aman. This phrase, which means, in general, ' as men 
are accustomed to speak' (or act), is of frequent occurrence, and is va- 
riously modified as to its import by the context. It means, at times, ' in 
a manner adapted to the comprehension of men,' Rom. 6:19; as when 
God is said to speak or act after the manner of men ; or, secondly, ' as 

F 2 



66 ROMANS 3: 1-^. 

men generally speak and act,' i. e. wickedly, 1 Cor. 3 : 3; or as intro- 
ducing an example or illustration from common life, 1 Cor. 9 : 8. Gal. 
3:15; or, as in this instance, to intimate that the writer is not uttering 
his own sentiments. ' I am not speaking in the character of an inspired 
man, but as others are accustomed to speak.' It was the Jew, and not 
the apostle, who argued that, because our wickedness rendered the good- 
ness of God the more conspicuous, therefore he could not punish us. 
Paul, in answer to this reasoning, and to the question whether, under 
such circumstances, God is unrighteous in taking vengeance, says : 

(6) God forhid^ for then how shall God judge the world? The apos- 
tle denies that there is the least ground for this objection, and shows 
that, if it is well founded, God cannot judge the world at all. By the 
world is not to be understood any one class exclusively, but men in ge- 
neral ; though the Gentiles may have been specially intended. It is 
obvious that all men would escape punishment, if the principle were 
once admitted that God cannot punish any whose wickedness might be 
the occasion of magnifying any of his perfections. 

The word for judge may be taken either generally, ' how can he exer- 
cise the office of a judge over the world ;' or in the sense of condemning, 
'how can he condemn the world.' The world would then mean spe- 
cially the heathen, as opposed to the Jews, the nominal people of God. 
This term is often used in opposition to the church, or followers of Jesus 
Christ, as in John 15 : 18, 'If the world hate you,' ' If ye were of the 
world,' &c. The former interpretation is, however, the more natural. 

(7) For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto 
his glory, why yet am I also judged as a sinner? This is a repeti- 
tion, in a more definite form, of the sentiment of the fifth verse. There 
the general terms righteousness and unrighteousness were used, here 
the more specific ones, truth and falsehood. The sentiment is the same. 
Paul assumes the person of the objector, and asks, ' Can I be justly 
treated as a sinner when, through my lie, or unfaithfulness to the cove- 
nant, the truth or fidelity of God is the more conspicuously displayed to 
his glory]' The truth of God may be taken as a general term of excel- 
lence ; see 2 : 8, where truth is the opposite of unrighteousness ,- or, in 
the sense of veracity, adherence to promises; compare ch. 15: 8. The 
word for lie is of course the opposite of the former, and means perfidy, 
want of fidelity. The particular term here used occurs nowhere else in 
the New Testament. 

Hath more abounded, i. e. ' appeared as more abundant,' ' been seen as 
such ;' or the word may be taken in the sense of excelling, as in INIatt. 5 : 
20, " unless your righteousness excel the righteousness of the scribes," 
&c. ; 1 Cor. 8 : 8, " neither if we eat are we the better," &c. * If God's 
truth is the greater, the more conspicuous, &c. to his glory ;' i. e. so that 
he is glorified. TVhy am I yet also judged as a sinner ; i. e. condemned, 
or punished as such. 



ROMANS 3: 1—18. 67 

(8) Jlnd not rather {as we he slanderously reported, and as some affirm 
that we say) Let us do evil, that good may come ? whose damnation is just. 
The sense of this verse is obvious, though the grammatical construction 
of the original is irregular. One of the simplest and most common me- 
thods of resolving the passage, is to supply the word say. ' Why not 
say at once (as some slanderously affirm that we say) Let us do evil that 
good may come.' A second method is the following : ' Why not let us do 
evil that good may come, as some slanderously affirm that we teach.' Paul 
here, most probably, as often elsewhere, changes the construction of the 
sentence in his progress through it ; see Gal. 2 : 3 — 5. He seems to 
have intended to say, ' Why not let us do evil, &c. ;' but having inter- 
rupted himself, he makes the latter clause grammatically dependent on 
the word say in the parenthesis, instead of connecting it with the words 
with which the sentence commences. It, therefore, stands thus, 'And 
why not (as some slanderously affirm that we say) that we may do evil 
that good may come.' Our version skilfully avoids the difficulty, and pre- 
sents the meaning clearly. 

Whose condemnation, &c., that is, the condemnation of those who 
adopt the principle, that it is right to do evil that good may come ; not 
those who slandered the apostle. This verse contains Paul's answer to 
the principle on which the wicked Jews hoped for exemption from pu- 
nishment. ' Our unfaithfulness serves to commend the faithfulness of 
God, therefore we ought not to be punished.' According to this reason- 
ing, Paul answers, ' The worse we are the better. For the more wicked 
we are, the more conspicuous will be the mercy of God in our pardon ; 
we may, therefore, do evil that good may come.' Paul, frequently, a? 
here, recognises the authority of the instinctive moral feelings of men. 
He has reduced the reasoning of the Jews to a conclusion shocking to the 
moral sense, and has thereb)'' refuted it. Having thus demonstrated that 
the Jews cannot expect exemption on the ground of being the peculiar 
people of God, except on principles incompatible with the government 
of the world, and inconsistent with the plainest moral truths, he draws, 
in the next verse, the conclusion, that the Jew, as to the matter of justi- 
fication, has no pre-eminence over the Gentile. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The advantages of membership, even of the external church, and of 
a participation of its ordinances, are very numerous and great, vs. 1, 2. 

2. The great advantage of the Christian over the heathen world, and 
of the members of a visible ecclesiastical body over others not so situated, 
is the greater amount of divine truth presented to their understandings 
and hearts, v. 2. 

3. All the writings which the Jews, at the time of Christ and his apos- 
tles, regarded as inspired, are really the word of God, v. 2. 

4. No promise or covenant of God can ever be rightfully urged in 
favour of exemption from the punishment of sin, or of impunity to those 



__ 



68 ROMANS 3: 9—20. 

who live in it. God is faithful to his promises, but he never promises tc 
pardon the impenitently guilty, vs. 3, 4. 

5. God will make the wrath of men to praise him. Their unrighteous- 
ness will commend his righteousness, without, on that account, making 
its condemnation less certain or less severe, vs. 5, 6. 

6. Any doctrine inconsistent with the first principles of morals must be 
false, no matter how plausible the metaphysical argument in its favour. 
And that mode of reasoning is correct, which refutes such doctrines by 
showing their inconsistency with moral truth, v. 8. 

REMARKS. 

1. We should feel the peculiar responsibilities which rest upon us as 
the inhabitants of a Christian country, as the members of the Christian 
church, and possessors of the word of God ; as such, we enjoy advan- 
tages for which we shall have to render a strict account, vs. 1, 2. 

2. It is a mark of genuine piety, to be disposed always to justify God 
and to condemn ourselves. On the other hand, a disposition to self-justi- 
fication and the extenuation of our sins, however secret, is an indication 
of a want of a proper sense of our own unworthiness and of the divine 
excellence, vs. 4, 5. 

3. Beware of any refuge from the fear of future punishment, founded 
upon the hope that God will clear the guilty, or that he will not judge 
the world and take vengeance for our sins, vs. 6, 7. 

4. There is no better evidence against the truth of any doctrine, than 
that its tendency is immoral. And there is no greater proof that a man 
is wicked, that his condemnation is just, than that he does evil that good 
may come. There is commonly, in such cases, not only the evil of the 
act committed, but that of hypocrisy and duplicity also, v. 8. 

5. Speculative and moral truths, which are believed on their own evi- 
dence as soon as they are presented to the mind, should be regarded as 
authoritative and as fixed points in all reasonings. When men deny 
such first principles, or attempt to push beyond them to a deeper founda- 
tion of truth, there is no end to the obscurity, uncertainty, and absurdity 
of their speculations. What God forces us from the very constitution of 
our nature to believe, asj for example, the existence of the external world, 
our own personal identity, the difference between good and evil, &c., it 
is at once a violation of his will and of the dictates of reason to deny or 
to question. Paul assumed, as an ultimate fact, that it is wrong to do evil 
that good may come, v. 8. 



CHAP. 3: 9—20. 

^What then 1 are we better than they ? No, in no wise : for we have 
before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 
^®as it is written. There is none righteous, no, not one : ^Hhere is none 
that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ^^They are all 



ROMANS 3 : 9—20. 69 

gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable ; there is none 
that doeth good, no, not one. ^^Their throat is an open sepulchre ; with 
their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their 
lips: ^*whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: ^^their feet are 
swift to shed blood: ^^destruction and misery are in their ways: 
*''and the way of peace have they not known: ^^there is no fear of 
God before their eyes. ^^Now we know that what things soever the 
law saith, it saith to them who are under the law : that every mouth 
may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 
20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in 
his sight : for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

ANALYSIS. 

The apostle, having answered the objections to his argument in proof 
that the Jews, being sinners in the sight of God, are, as such, exposed to 
condemnation, draws, in v. 9, the obvious conclusion, that they have, as 
to the matter of justification, no pre-eminence over the Gentile. He con- 
firms his doctrine of the universal sinfulness of men, by numerous quota- 
tions from the Old Testament. These passages are descriptive of their 
depravity in the general, vs. 10 — 12 ; and then of its special manifesta- 
tions in sins of the tongue, vs. 13, 14, and sins of conduct, vs. 15 — 18. 
The conclusion of all this reasoning, from consciousness, experience, and 
Scripture, is that " all the world is guilty before God," v. 19 ; and the 
necessary consequence, " no flesh can be justified by the deeds of the 
law," V. 20. 

COMMENTARY. 

(9) What then ? are we better than they ? No, in no wise. * What 
then,' asks the apostle, 'is the conclusion from all this reasoning as to 
the moral state and character of the Jews and Gentiles 1 Are we Jews 
better off, or more favourably situated than they 1 By no means.' Our 
version of the word rendered are we better, expresses, perhaps with sufii* 
cient accuracy, the meaning of the apostle. The word probably signi- 
fies here do we excel, and as the connexion shows, do we excel as to the 
point under discussion, are we more favourably situated as to obtaining 
the divine favour! That, as to other points, the Jew did excel, or had 
many advantages, Paul had freely admitted, but as to his justification 
before God, he and the Gentiles stood on precisely the same level. 

The reason why the Jews are declared to be no better off than the 
Gentiles, as far as justification is concerned, is given in the next clause. 
For loe have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under 
sin. The word rendered to prove signifies to bring a charge against any 
one ; and here, to substantiate an accusation. Paul had not only accused, 
but established the truth of the accusation, that the Jews and Gentiles 
were all under sin. This latter phrase may signify to be under the power 
of sin i or under its guilt, as the word sin often signifies guilt of sin, 



70 ROMANS 3 : 9—20. 

see 1 Cor. 15: 17. John 15: 22; compare such passages as Gal. 3: 10. 
Rom. 6: i4. 7: 14, &c. &c. Both ideas are here probably included, 
Paul had proved that all were sinners, that is, corrupt and exposed to 
condemnation. 

Verses 10 — 18 contain the confirmation of the truth of the universal 
sinfulness of men, by the testimony of Scripture. These passages are 
not to be found consecutively in any one place in the Old Testament, but 
are quoted from several. Verses 10 — 12 are from Ps. 14 or 53 : v. 13, 
from Ps. 5 : 9 ; v. 14, from Ps. 10 : 7 ; vs. 15—17, from Isa. 59 : 7, 8; 
and V. 18, from Ps. 36 : 1. These passages, it will be perceived, are of 
two classes; the one general, descriptive of the whole human race as 
wicked ; the other special, referring to particular prevalent sinful acts as 
evidence of the general sinfulness of men, on the principle ' by their 
fruits ye shall know them.' This method of reasoning is legitimate and 
common. The national character of any people is proved by a reference 
to the special acts by which it is manifested. It is not necessary that 
every inhabitant of France, for example, should manifest his gayety by 
dancing, to make the argument good from the prevalence of this amuse- 
ment, that gayety is a national trait of the French character. So it is no* 
necessary to prove that every man manifests his wickedness by shedding 
blood, to make the prevalence of this and kindred crimes a proof that men 
are, as a race, corrupt. 

(10) ^s it is written .- There is none righteous, no, not one. This is 
a general declaration of the universal wickedness of men. The two ideas 
contained in this proposition are expressed in the following verses. All 
are destitute of piety, v. 11 ; and all are consequently immoral, v. 12. 

(11) There is none that understandeth, i. e. who sees things in theii 
true nature ; who has right apprehensions of God. Right views of truth 
are uniformly, because necessarily attended with right affections towards 
it. Hence, ' understanding' is in the Scriptures so often used for reli- 
gion, see the note on ch. 1 : 21 ; and hence, as an amplification of the 
phrase, * there is none that understandeth,' Paul adds, there is none that 
seeketh after God, which expresses all those exercises of desire and wor- 
ship, consequent on the discovery of the divine excellence. 

(12) They are all gone out of the way. Blinded by sin to the per- 
fections and loveliness of God and truth, they have turned from the way 
which he has prescribed, and which leads to himself, and have made 
choice of another way and of another portion. They are together become 
unprofitable, i. e. useless, worthless, corrupt. The last is the literal 
meaning of the Hebrew word used in the passage quoted, Ps. 14: 3. 
There is none that doeth good, no, not one. Universal corruption of mo- 
rals is the consequence of universal apostasy from God, see ch. 1 : 24, 
26, 28. 

(13, 14) These verses present that evidence of the sinfulness of men 
which consists in the universal prevalence, under some form or other, of 
evil speaking. Their throat is an open sepulchre, i. e. from their throat 



ROMANS 3: 9—20. 71 

issue words as offensive and pestiferous as the tainted breath of an open 
grave ; or, what from the next clause may appear probable, ' their throat 
is always open, and ready to devour like the insatiable and insidious 
grave.' They injure by deceit and slander, which is the poison of asps. 
Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, i. e. of bitter execration, 
expressive of malignity towards men, and impiety towards God. 

(15 — 17) Contain the arguments for the apostle's doctrine, derived 
from the prevalence of sins of violence. Their feet are swift to shed 
blood y they frequently, and without compunction, commit murder and 
violence. Destruction and misery are in their ways, i. e. mark their 
path. The way of peace they have not known. * The way of peace' 
means the way which leads to peace or happiness. Here the happiness 
of others is principally intended. * They do not pursue that course 
which is productive of happiness.' This clause, therefore, includes all 
the manifestations of an evil heart, which are seen in the numberless 
ways in which men injure their fellow-creatures. 

(18) Is again a general declaration of unrestrained wickedness. 
There is no fear of God before their eyes. They are not actuated by 
any regard to the will or displeasure of God. Religious considerations 
have no force in the government of their conduct. 

(19) JVow we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to 
them thai are under the law. The Hebrew word usually translated 
law means instruction, and is used for any intimation of the will of God 
designed for the direction of men ; see Isa. 1:10. 8:16. Prov. 1 : 8, &c. 
&c. It depends on the context whether reference be had to the general 
rule of duty which he has prescribed, or to some one of its parts more or 
less extended. In like manner the apostle uses the corresponding Greek 
word almost uniformly in the sense of the rule of duty ; whether written 
in the heart, contained in the whole of the Scriptures of the Old Testa- 
ment, or in some of its parts. It is generally easy, from the context, to 
determine what law, or rather what part of the law, or rule of duty, he 
has in each case specially in view. Here it is obvious that the law 
means the Scriptures which contain the will of God revealed for our 
obedience. These passages quoted above are taken not from the Penta- 
teuch, or law, in its more restricted sense, but from the Psalms and pro- 
phets; see John 10 : 34. 1 Cor. 14: 21, &c. Those who are under the 
law, see 2 : 12. 1 Cor. 9 : 20. ' What the Scriptures say concerning the 
character of men, they must be understood as saying of those to whom 
they are specially directed.' The Jews cannot pretend that the passages 
quoted above have reference to the Gentiles ; being found in their own 
law, and addressed to them, they must be considered as indicating the 
light in which their character and conduct were viewed by God. 

That every mouth may be stopped, i. e. that men may be deprived of 
all excuse, completely reduced to silence. .And the whole world become 
guilty before God. The word rendered guilty is applied to one who has 
lost his cause, or who has been convicted, or found guilty. The result, 



72 ROMANS 3 ; 9—20. 

therefore, at which the apostle has arrived, the conclusion of his argn- 
ment, from consciousness, experience, and Scripture, is that the whole 
world is g-uilty before God, i. e. in his judgment or estimation. The 
luhole world must, in this connexion, include both Jews and Gentiles, 
because the preceding argument had related to both classes, and in what 
follows reference is also had to both. 

(20) Therefore ly the deeds of the laio shall no flesh he justified in his 
sight, &c. The apostle, having proved that all men are sinners, draws 
in this verse the conclusion that no man can be justified by the deeds of 
the law. To justify is obviously a forensic term, and signifies to pro- 
nounce, regard, and treat as just or righteous. The declaration of the 
apostle is, that no man can be pronounced and treated as righteous on the 
ground of his own obedience to the law. The expression contained in 
this verse is borrowed from Ps. 143 : 2. " Enter not into judgment with 
thy servant (bring him not to trial) ; for in thy sight (before thee as 
judge) shall no man living be justified." This passage also serves to 
illustrate the nature of justification. The word signifying to he right- 
eous does not so properly express the moral character of those to whom it 
is applied as their relation to the law. It therefore often means to he in 
the right, to have the law on one's side, to be what the law requires ; 
see Gen. 38 : 26, " She is more in the right than I ;" Job 9 : 15, " Though 
I were in the right 1 would not answer." Hence to justify is to pro- 
nounce one to be in the right, to be such as the law requires, and entitled 
to be treated accordingly ; see Job 33 : 32, " Speak, for I desire to jus- 
tify thee," i. e. to pronounce thee to be what the law demands ; Isa. 5 : 23, 
"Which justify the wicked for reward," &c. What Paul, therefore, 
affirms in this verse is, that no man can, in the sight of God, be regarded 
as righteous, and entitled to be treated as such, on the ground of his 
obedience to the law. 

Deeds of the law are, of course, such deeds as the law prescribes. The 
law of which Paul here speaks is the will of God revealed for man's 
obedience, the universal rule of duty, see v. 19. That it is not to be re- 
stricted to the Mosaic law, as though ceremonial works alone were in- 
tended, is evident, 1. Because Paul is here speaking of "the whole 
world," of " all flesh," of Gentiles as well as Jews. The former had 
nothing to do with the Mosaic law. Why should Paul affirm that they 
could not be justified by a law which was never obligatory upon them 1 

2. He had just used the word law, not in reference to the Mosaic insti- 
tutions, but to the Scriptures of the Old Testament which contained the 
whole revealed will of God. The works of which he speaks are works 
prescribed by this, law, and comprehend, of course, all moral duties. 

3. The Jews never made the distinction between the moral and ceremo- 
nial law, which the opposite interpretation supposes. To them obe- 
dience to the Mosaic ritual was as much a moral duty as any thing else 
could be. They certainly, therefore, would understand the apostle as 
meaning, by the phrase " works of the law," works of obedience to 



ROMANS 3: 9—20. 73 

God generally ; consequently this must be his meaning. 4. There is in 
fact no ground for the distinction in reference to this case ; because obe- 
dience to the divine command is always a moral act, whether that com- 
mand be z. positive one, or have its foundation in the reason and nature of 
things. 5. The whole context, and drift, and object of the epistle re- 
quire this interpretation. The works of the Jews and Gentiles of which 
he had been speaking were moral works ; the law which they had broken 
was the moral law ; it is that law which he proves can neither justify 
nor sanctify, which produces conviction of sin, which says, ' Thou shalt 
not covet,' which is 'holy, just, and good,' and which is exceeding 
broad. 6. The objections to Paul's doctrine all suppose the moral law 
to be here intended. In the sixth chapter the objection, which the apos- 
tle answers, is not that the neglect of the law of Moses must lead to 
licentiousness, but that if good works are not necessary to salvation, as 
the ground of our acceptance, men will live in sin. 7. What is here 
said of works of the law, is elsewhere said of works generally ; 2 Tim. 
1:9, " Who hath saved us not according to (or on account of) our 
works ;" Tit. 3:5, " Not by works of righteousness which we have 
done, but according to his mercy he hath saved us ;" Eph. 2:9, " We 
are saved by faith, not by works ;" see Rom. 4 : 2, &c. &;c. This point 
has been dwelt on at greater length, because it is one of the hinges to 
the exposition of the epistle, and of the whole plan of the gospel. 

Most of the arguments here mentioned are valid against the doctrine 
of many of the Catholic divines, that Paul has reference to works done 
before regeneration merely, and not to those which flow from a renewed 
heart. It is not Paul's doctrine that we are justified not by legal works, 
but by good works, for " the works of the law" include good works of 
every kind, works of righteousness, i. e. of the highest kind of 
excellence. Besides, this view of the subject is entirely inconsistent 
with the doctrine which the apostle is labouring to establish, viz. that 
the ground of the sinner's acceptance is not in himself; it is nothing sub- 
jective, no state of mind, no works of morality or form, nothing pro- 
duced in him or done by him, but something done for him, which he 
must accept, and on which he must rely. 

For hy the law is the Icnowledge of sin. As the law was not designed 
or adapted for the justification of sinners, Paul briefly stated its real 
object and use. The law produces the recognition of sin in its true 
nature and consequences. It leads to the conviction of its exceeding 
turpitude, and desert of punishment. When the law has produced this 
result, it has prepared us for the reception of the gospel. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. However men may differ among themselves as to individual 
character, as to outward circumstances, religious or social, when they 
appear at the bar of God, all stand on the same level. All are sinners, 
and, being sinners, are exposed to condemnation, v. 9. 

G 



74 ROMANS 3: 21—31. 

2. The general declarations of the Scriptures descriptive of the charac- 
ter of men, before the advent of Christ, are applicable to men in all ages 
of the world, because they describe human nature. They declare what 
fallen man. is. As we recognise the descriptions of the human heart, 
given by profane writers a thousand years ago, as suited to its present 
character, so the inspired description suits us, as well as those for whom 
it was originally intended, vs. 10 — 18. 

3. Piety and morality cannot be separated. If men do not understand, 
if they have no fear of God before their eyes, they become altogether un- 
profitable, there is none that doeth good, vs. 10 — 12. 

4. The office of the law is neither to justify nor to sanctify. It con- 
vinces and condemns. All efforts to secure the favour of God, therefore, 
by legal obedience, must be vain, v. 20. 



1. As God regards the moral character in men, and as we are all sin- 
ners, no one has any reason to exalt himself over another. With our 
hands upon our mouth, and our mouth in the dust, we must all appear as 
guilty before God, v. 9. 

2. The Scriptures are the message of God to all to whom they come. 
They speak general truths which are intended to apply to all to whom 
they are applicable. What they say of sinners, as such, they say of all 
sinners : what they promise to believers, they promise to all believers. 
They should, therefore, ever be read with a spirit of self-application, vs. 
10—18. 

3. To be prepared for the reception of the gospel, we must be convinced 
of sin, humbled under a sense of its turpitude, silenced under a convic- 
tion of its condemning power, and prostrated at the footstool of mercy, 
under a feeling that we cannot satisfy the demands of the law, that if 
ever saved, it must be by other merit and other power than our own, 
V. 20. 

CHAP. 3: 21—31. 

2*But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being 
witnessed by the law and the prophets ; ^^even the righteousness of God 
which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe : 
for there is no difference : ^^for all have sinned, and come short of the glory 
of God ; 24being justified freely by his grace through the redemption tliat is 
in Christ Jesus : ^s^hom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through 
faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins 
that are past, through the forbearance of God ; ^Ho declare, I say, at this 
time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him 
which believeth in Jesus. ^''Where is boasting then ] It is excluded. 
By what law ] of works 1 Nay : but by the law of faith. ^^Therefore 
we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the 
law. 2^/s he the God of the Jews only I is he not also of the Gentiles ? 



ROMANS 3 : 21—31. 75 

Yes, of the Gentiles also. s'^Seeing it is one God, which shall justify 
the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. ^^Do we 
then make void the law through faith ? God forbid : yea, we establish 
the law. 

ANALYSIS. 

Having proved that justification, on the ground of legal obedience or 
personal merit, is for all men impossible, Paul proceeds to unfold the me- 
thod of salvation presented in the gospel. With regard to this method, 
he here teaches, 1. Its nature. 2. The ground on which the offer of jus- 
tification is made. 3. Its object. 4. Its results. 

I. As to its nature, he teaches, 1. That the righteousness which it pro- 
poses is not attainable by works, but by faith, vs. 21, 23. 2. That it 
is adapted to all men, Jews as well as Gentiles, since there is no differ- 
ence as to their moral state, vs. 22, 23. 3. It is entirely gratuitous, 
V. 24. 

II. As to its ground, it is the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, or 
Jesus Christ as a propitiatory sacrifice, vs. 24, 25. 

III. Its object is the display of the divine perfections, and the reconcili- 
ation of the justice of God, with the exhibition of mercy to the sinner, 
V. 2G. 

IV. Its results. 1. It humbles man by excluding all ground of boast- 
ing, vs. 27, 28. 2. It presents God in his true character as the God and 
father of all men, of the Gentile no less than the Jew, vs. 29, 30. 3. It 
confirms the law, v. 31. 

COMMENTARY. 

(21) But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, &c. 
Having demonstrated that no flesh could be justified by the deeds of the 
lav/ in the sight o1^ God, the apostle proceeds to show how the sinner can 
be justified. With regard to this point, he teaches, in this verse, 1. That 
the righteousness which is acceptable to God is not a legal righteous- 
ness ; and 2. That it had been taught already in the Old Testament. The 
words but nov) may be regarded as merely marking the transition from 
one paragraph to another, or as a designation of time : now, i. e. under 
the gospel dispensation. In favour of this view is the phrase, " to de- 
clare, at this time, his righteousness," in v. 26 ; compare also 1 : 17. Is 
manifested, i. e. clearly made known, equivalent to the phrase is re- 
vealed, as used in 1 : 17. The words righteousness of God are subjected 
here to the same diversity of interpretation that was noticed in the pas- 
sage just cited, where they first occur. They may mean, 1. A divine 
attribute, the justice, mercy, or general rectitude of God. 2. That right- 
eousness which is acceptable to God, which is such in his estimation. 
3. God's method of justification ; see note on 1 : 17. The last interpre- 
wation gives here a very good sense, and is one very commonly adopted. 
The method of justification by works being impossible, God has revealed 



76 ROMANS 3: 21—31. 

another, already taught indeed hoth in the law and prophets, a method 
which is not legal (without law), i. e. not on the condition of obedience 
to the law, but on the condition of faith, which is applicable to all men, 
and perfectly gratuitous,' vs. 21 — 24. But for the reasons given on eh. 
1:17, the second interpretation is to be preferred. The term righteous' 
ness is employed to designate all that excellence which is demanded by 
the law, and which entitles to all the blessings of a state of justification, 
and frequently includes the idea of this blessedness itself, i. e. the bless- 
edness of the state of complete favour with God ; see above on v. 20. 
The phrase righteousness of God then means that righteousness, with its 
consequent blessings, of which God is the author, which is of avail 
before God, which meets and secures his approbation. This interpreta- 
tion is perfectly consistent with the context. ' As men cannot attain to 
righteousness by the deeds of the law, God has revealed in the gospel 
another righteousness, which is not legal, but which is to be attained by 
faith, which is offered to all men. Gentiles as well as Jews, and which is 
entirely gratuitous.' 

The words without the law are to be connected with the phrase right' 
eousness of God. It is the righteousness of God without the law, i. e. the 
works of the law ; see the full phrase, v. 28 ; compare Gal. 2:16. It is 
a righteousness not attainable by obedience to the law. Being testified hy 
the lavj and the prophets. Testified, i. e. taught, because the teaching of 
inspired men was in the form of testimony ; it was not the communica- 
tion of what they themselves had discovered, but a declaration of what 
had been delivered to them by God. The Jews were accustomed to. di- 
vide the Scriptures into two parts, the law and the prophets ; what did not 
belong to the former was included under the latter. Hence the phrase, 
as here used, is equivalent to the Scriptures; see Matt. 5: 17. 7: 12. 
Luke 16: 31. Acts 13: 15, &c. &c. That the Jewish scriptures did 
teach the doctrine of gratuitous justification, Paul proves in the next 
chapter, from the case of Abraham and the testimony of David. 

(22) Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christy 
&c. In the preceding verse, Paul had taught negatively, that this 
righteousness, which is acceptable and available in the sight of God, 
was not to be attained by the works of the law, he here teaches, 1. That 
it is to be attained by faith in Christ. 2. That it is applicable to all 
men. Gentiles as well as Jews. Which is by faith of Jesus Christ, i. e. 
through, or by means of that faith of which Christ is the object. We are 
not justified on account of our faith, as though faith were the ground of 
our acceptance, for the ground is mentioned afterwards ; but it is through 
faith. Such is almost uniformly the force of the Greek preposition here 
used, when connected with the genitive. Faith of Christ is of course 
equivalent to faith in Christ ,• see Mark 11 : 22, " Have faith in God," 
literally ' of God ;' Acts 3 : 16, " Through faith in his name," literally 
« of his name ;' Gal. 2 : 20, " I live by faith of the Son of God," &c. &c. 

Unto all and upon all that believe. The prepositions rendered urUo 



ROMANS 3: 21—31. 77 

an^ upon do not here express different ideas, any more than those ren- 
dered by and through, in v. SO. The repetition expresses intensity. 
' This righteousness is revealed or comes unto all, even all, absolutely all, 
vv^ithout distinction of name or nation.' The only limitation is the exer- 
cise of faith. It is unto all believers. We have here the second attribute 
of the righteousness revealed in the gospel, mentioned in this verse, viz. 
its universal applicability. It is not to be restricted to any one class of 
men, but is as well suited to the Gentile as the Jew, to the bond as 
the free, to the wise as the unwise, to the poor as the rich. The reasbn 
why this righteousness is thus suited to all men is, that there is no differ- 
ence in their moral state or relation to God. 

(23) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. These 
clauses express very nearly associated ideas. The former presents more 
prominently the moral character of men ; the latter its consequences. 
They are sinners, and have, therefore, forfeited the divine favour. Here 
again the fact that men are sinners is given as a conclusive reason why 
justification can only be by faith. The word rendered glory hdiS been 
very variously explained. It may signify approbation, as in John 13 : 43, 
*' they love the approbation of men better than the approbation of God ;" 
so Grotius. Or it may be taken for the reward which God bestows, so 
often called in Scripture glory ,• see ch. 2:7. As the word rendered come 
short is often used in reference to those who lose a race, the clause may 
be explained as an allusion to that game. The glory of God is the goal 
or the prize for which men contend, and which all have failed to win. 

(24) Being justijied freely by his grace, through the redemption that is 
in Christ Jesus, The apostle continues his exhibition of the method of 
salvation by using the participle ' being justified,' instead of the verb ' we 
are justified,' agreeably to a mode of construction not unusual in Greek, 
though much more frequent in the Hebrew. He says we are justified 
freely by his grace, that is, in a manner which is entirely gratuitous. 
We have not the slightest degree of merit to oflTer as the ground of our 
acceptance. This is the third characteristic of the method of justification 
which is by the righteousness of God. Though it is so entirely gratu- 
itous as regards the sinner, yet it is in a way perfectly consistent with 
the justice of God. It is founded on " the redemption that is in Christ 
Jesus," that is, of which he is the author. 

The word translated redemption has two senses in the New Testament. 
1. It means properly ' a deliverance effected by the payment of a ran- 
som.' This is its primary etymological meaning. 2. It means deliver- 
ance simply, without any reference to the means of its accomplishment, 
whether by power or wisdom. Luke 21 : 28, "the day of redemption 
(i.e. of deliverance) draweth nigh;" Heb. 11: 35, and perhaps Rom. 
8 : 23 ; compare Isa. 50 : 2, " is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot 
redeem?" &c. &c. When applied to the work of Christ, as eflfecting 
our deliverance from the punishment of sin, it is always taken in its pro- 
per sense, deliverance effected by *he payment of a ransom. This is evi- 

g2 



78 ROMANS 3 : 21—31. 

dent from the fact that Christ is uniformly presented as a Redeemer, not 
in the character of a teacher, but of a priest, a sacrifice, propitiation, &c. 
Comp. Eph. 1 : 7. Heb. 9 : 15. Col. 1 : 14. 1 Tim. 2 : 6. Matt. 20 ; 28. 

That is in Christ Jesus, i. e. which is by him, as the preposition here 
rendered in means in places almost without number; Acts 13 : 39, "by 
him all that believe are justified," &c. Acts 17: 31, "by that man 
whom he hath ordained," &c. &c. 

(25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in 
his blood, &c. This clause contains the ground of our deliverance from 
the curse of the law, and of our acceptance with God, and constitutes 
therefore the second step in the apostle's exhibition of the plan of salva- 
tion. He had already taught that justification was not by works, but by 
faith, and entirely gratuitous ; he now comes to show how it is that this 
exercise of mercy to the sinner can be reconciled with the justice of God, 
and the demands of his law. 

The two most commonly received interpretations of the word rendered 
propitiation are the following. 1. It may mean the propitiatory or mercy- 
seat. It is used in this sense repeatedly in the Septuagint, and also in 
the New Testament. See Exod. 25: 17, 18, 21. Heb. 9: 5, &c. But 
this meaning of the word is here unsuitable, because Christ is not else- 
where called the mercy-seat, and because it violates the propriety of the 
apostle's language, inasmuch as he immediately speaks of the blood ot 
this hilastarion. 2. According to the second interpretation the term here 
signifies a propitiatory sacrifice, or propitiation. It is properly an adjec- 
tive, and is applied to any thing designed to render God propitious. 
Hence the frequent phrases ' propitiatory sacrifice,' ' propitiatory monu- 
ment,' ' propitiatory death.' In this case the word for sacrifice may be 
understood, or the Greek term occurring in the text may be taken sub 
stantively. This interpretation is to be preferred to the other, as more 
consistent with the context, more consonant to the scriptural representa 
tions in reference to this subject, and perfectly consistent with usage. 

Through faith in his blood. These words may be connected either 
with the immediately preceding or with those at the beginning of v. 24. 
According to the former method, the sense is, ' Christ is a propitiation 
through faith in his blood,' that is, which is available to those only who 
exercise this faith, and on this condition. According to the latter, ' We 
are justified through the redemption that is in Christ .Tesus (we are jus- 
tified) through faith in his blood.' So that this clause is co-ordinate 
with the last member of v. 24, and explanatory of it. The first method 
'ippears the more simple and natural of the two. 

To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are pa.^t, 
through the forbearance of God. Having stated the nature and ground 
©f the gospel method of justification, he comes, in this clause, to state 
it objects. ' God has set forth Christ, as a propitiatory sacrifice, to de- 
clare his righteousness.' It should be remembered that the object f)f 
the death of Christ, being very comprehensive, is very variously pid 



ROMANS 3: 21—31. 79 

sented in the word of God. In other words, the death of Christ answers 
a great number of infinitely important ends in the government of God. 
It displays "his manifold wisdom," Eph. 3: 10, 11; it was designed 
"to purify unto himself a people zealous of good works," Tit. 2: 14j 
to break down the distinction between the Jews and Gentiles, Eph. 2 : 
15 ; to effect the reconciliation of both Jews and Gentiles unto God, 
Eph. 2: 16; "to deliver us from this present evil world," Gal. 1:4; 
to secure the forgiveness of sins, Eph. 1:7: to vindicate his ways to 
men in so long passing by or remitting their sins, Rom. 3 : 25 ; to recon- 
cile the exercise of mercy with the requirements of justice, v. 26, &c. 
&c. These ends are not inconsistent, but perfectly harmonious. The 
end here specially mentioned is to declare his righteousness. These 
words here, as elsewhere, are variously explained. 1. They are under- 
stood of some one of the moral attributes of God, as his veracity, by 
Locke; or his mercy, by Grotius, Koppe, and many of the moderns. 
Both of these interpretations are forced, because they assign very unu- 
sual meanings to the word righteousness, and meanings little suited to 
the context. 2. Most commentators who render the phrase ' righteous- 
ness, or justification of God,' in ch. 1 : 17. 3: 21, God's method of jus- 
tification, adopt that sense here. The meaning would then be that ' God 
had set forth Christ as a propitiation, to exhibit his method of justifying 
sinners, both in reference to the sins committed under the former dispen- 
sation, and under the new.' 3. The great majority of commentators 
give it the sense of the general rectitude of God. This is recommended 
by the consideration that this is the common meaning of the word right- 
eousness, that the phrase here used must be so understood in ch. 2 : 5, 
where ' the unrighteousness of men is said to commend the righteous- 
ness of God,' and especially that, in the next verse, Paul subjoins the 
explanatory clause, " that he might be just, and the justifier of every one 
which believeth in Jesus." This, as Calvin remarks, is Paul's own de- 
finition of "the righteousness of God," of which he is here speaking. 
The meaning of the clause then is, that ' God hath set forth Christ, as a 
propitiation, to make it plain that he is just, or righteous in the forgive- 
ness of sins.' His pardoning mercy is thus vindicated from all appear- 
ance of interfering with the demands of justice. 

For the remission of sins. The preposition which is here rendered for 
may be variously explained. 1. It not unfrequently with the accusative, 
the case by which it is here followed, has the force which more properly 
belongs to it with the genitive, i. e. through. This would suit the con- 
text, if righteousness meant mercy, • To exhibit his mercy by means of 
the remission of sins.' But this explanation of the word ' righteousness' 
has been shown above to be objectionable. 2. It is taken to mean as to, 
as it regards. This also gives a good sense, 'To declare his righteous- 
ness, as to, or as it regards the remission of sins.' But the preposition 
in question very rarely, if ever, has this force. 3. The common force of 
the preposition is retained, on account of. This clause would then assign 



80 ROMANS 3: 21—31. 

the ground or reason of the exhibition of the righteousness of God. It 
became necessary that there should be this exhibition, because God had 
overlooked and pardoned sin from the beginning. This is the most na- 
tural and satisfactory interpretation of the passage. The word rendered 
remission more strictly means pretermission^ a passing bi/, or overlooking, 
Paul repeatedly uses the proper term for remission, as in Eph. 1 : 7. 
Heb. 9 : 22, &c., but the word here used occurs nowhere else in the 
New Testament. Many, therefore, consider the selection of this parti- 
cular term as designed to express the idea that sins committed before the 
advent of Christ might more properly be said to be overlooked, than ac- 
tually pardoned, until the sacrifice of the Redeemer had been completed. 
Reference is made to Acts 17 : 30, where God is said to have overlooked 
the times of ignorance. But as the word used by the apostle is actually 
used to express the idea of remission in Greek writers, the majority of 
commentators adopt that meaning here. 

The words that are past seem distinctly to refer to the times before the 
advent of Christ. This is plain from their opposition to the expression, 
at this time, in the next verse, and from a comparision with the parallel 
passage in Heb. 9 : 15, " He is the Mediator for the redemption of sins 
that were under the first testament." The words rendered through the 
forbearance of God may be variously connected and explained. 1. They 
may be connected with the words just mentioned, and the meaning be, 
' Sins that are past, or, which were committed during the forbearance of 
God ;' see Acts 17 : 30, where the times before the advent are described 
in much the same manner. 2. Or they may be taken, as by our transla- 
tors, as giving the cause of the remission of these sins, ' They were 
remitted, or overlooked through the divine forbearance or mercy.' The 
former interpretation is better suited to the context. The meaning of the 
whole verse, therefore, is, ' God has set forth Jesus Christ as a propitia- 
tory sacrifice, to vindicate his righteousness or justice, on account of the 
remission of the sins committed under the former dispensation,' and not 
under the former dispensation only, but which are committed at the pre 
sent time, as the apostle immediately adds. 

(26) To declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness, &c. This verse 
is an amplification and explanation of the preceding. The words there 
and here rendered to declare, properly mean for the manifestation. This 
clause is evidently co-ordinat^ with the second member of the preceding 
verse. ' Christ was set forth as a sacrifice for the exhibition of the 
righteousness of God, on account of the remission of the sins of old; for 
the exhibition of his righteousness at this time,' &c. There are two pur- 
poses to be answered by this sacrifice, the vindication of the character of 
God in passing by former sins, and in passing by them now. At this 
time, therefore, as opposed to the time ' of forbearance,' is the gospel 
dispensation. 

That he might he just, and the justifer of him which believeth in Jesus, 
This clause is, as before remarked, the explanation and definition of the 



ROMANS 3 ; 21—31. 81 

righteousness of God just spoken of. It depends, in sense, upon the first 
clause of the 25th verse, ' Whom God hath set forth as a propitiatory- 
sacrifice, in order that he might be just in the justification of those that 
believe.' It is obvious, therefore, that this clause expresses more defi- 
nitely the idea intended to be conveyed by the phrase " to declare his 
righteousness." Christ was set forth as a sacrifice for the manifestation 
of the righteousness or justice of God, that is, that he might be just, al- 
though the justifier of the ungodly. The word Jms^ expresses the idea of 
uprightness generally, of being or doing what the nature of the case de- 
mands. But when spoken of the conduct of a judge, and in reference to 
his treatment of sin, it must mean more specifically that modification of 
general rectitude, which requires that sin should be treated according to 
its true nature, that the demands of law or justice should not be disre- 
garded. What the apostle means to say, is, that there is no such disre- 
gard to the claims of justice in the justification of the sinner who believes 
in Christ. This is seen and acknowledged, when it is known that he is 
justified neither on account of his own acts or character, nor by a mere 
sovereign dispensing with the demands of the law, but on the ground of 
a complete satisfaction rendered by his substitute, i. e. on the ground of 
the obedience and death of Christ. The gratuitous nature of this justifi- 
cation is not at all aflTected by its proceeding on the ground of this perfect 
satisfaction. It is, to the sinner, still the most undeserved of all favours, 
to which he not only has not the shadow of a personal claim, but the very 
reverse of which he has most richly merited. It is thus that justice and 
mercy are harmoniously united in the sinner's justification. Justice is 
no less justice, although mercy has her perfect work ; and mercy is no 
less mercy, although justice is completely satisfied. 

" Just and the justifier," &c. that is, just although the justifier, &c. 
This force of the particle rendered and is very common both in the Old 
and New Testament. 

Him which helieveth in Jesus ; literally him that is of the faith of Jesus ; 
compare Gal. 2 : 7, 12. The expression faith of Jesus means faith of 
which Jesus is the object. God therefore is just in justifying the man 
who relies on Jesus as a propitiatory sacrifice. 

(27) Where is boasting then ? It is excluded. By what law ? of 
works ? Nay ; but by the law of faith. In this and the following verses, 
the apostle presents the tendency and results of the glorious plan of sal- 
vation, which he had just unfolded. It excludes boasting, v. 27. It 
presents God in his true character, as the God and Father of the Gentiles 
as well as the Jews, vs. 29, 30 ; and it establishes the law, v. 31. The 
word rendered boasting is used to express the idea of self-gratulation 
with or without sufficient reason. In the former case, it is properly 
rendered rejoicing, as when Paul speaks of the Thessalonians being his 
"crown of rejoicing." In the latter, the word boasting best answers to 
its meaning. The word sometimes means the act of boasting or rejoic' 
ing ,• at others, by metonymy, the ground or reason of boasting, as id 



82 ROMANS 3: 21—31. 

Rom. 15 : 17. Either sense suits this passage. It may mean all boast- 
ing is prevented, or all ground of boasting is excluded. Paul means to 
say that the result of the gospel plan of salvation is to prevent all self-ap- 
probation, self-gratulation,and exaltation on.the part of the sinner. He 
is presented as despoiled of all merit, and as deserving the displeasure of 
God. He can attribute, in no degree, his deliverance from this displea- 
sure to himself, and he cannot exalt himself either in the presence of 
God, or in comparison with his fellow-sinners. As sin is odious in the 
sight of God, it is essential, in any scheme of mercy, that the sinner 
should be made to feel this, and that nothing done by or for him in any 
measure diminishes his personal ill-desert on account of his transgres- 
sions. 

The expressions " by what law 1" " the law of works," and " law of 
faith," especially the last, are peculiar, as the word law is not used in 
its ordinary sense. The general idea of a rule of action, however, is 
retained. ' By what rule 1 By that which requires works % Nay ; by 
"Vhat which requires faith ;' compare ch. 9 : 31. 

(2S) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the 
deeds of the law. The word rendered we conclude means, more properly, 
we are persuaded; see 8: 18. 2 Cor. 10; 7. This verse may be consi- 
dered as immediately connected with the preceding, and as stating a per- 
suasion, founded, among other reasons, on the truth there presented. 
The idea would then be, ' We are persuaded that the doctrine of justifica- 
tion is true, because it thus effectually excludes all boasting.' Or it may 
express the conclusion from the whole of the preceding exhibition ; which 
is probably the correct view of its connexion. The great truth of which 
Paul declares his firm conviction, therefore, is, that a man is justified by 
means of faith, and not on account of obedience to the law. 

(29, 30) Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? 
Yes, of the Gentiles also ; seeing it is one God who shall justify, &c. We 
have here the second result of the gospel method of justification ; it pre- 
sents God as equally the God of the Gentiles and the Jews. He is 
such, because ' it is one God who justifies the circumcision by faith, and 
the uncircumcision through faith.' He deals with both classes on pre- 
cisely the same principles ; he pursues, with regard to both, the same 
plan, and offers salvation to both on exactly the same terms. There is, 
therefore, in this doctrine, the foundation laid for a universal religion, 
which may be preached to every creature under heaven ; which need not, 
as was the case with the Jewish system, be confined to any one sect or 
nation. This is the only doctrine which suits the character of God, and 
his relation to all his intelligent creatures upon earth. God is a universal, 
and not a national God ; and this is a method of salvation universally 
applicable. These sublime truths are so familiar to our minds that they 
have, in a measure, lost their power ; but as to the Jew, enthralled all 
his life in his narrow national and religious prejudices, they must have 
expanded his whole soul with unwonted emotions of wonder, gratitude, 



ROMANS 3: 21—31. 83 

and joy. We Gentiles may now look up to heaven, and confidently say 
" Thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and though 
Israel acknowledge us not." 

The expressions ' by faith,' and ' through faith,' evidently do not diffei 
in their meaning, as Paul uses them indiscriminately, sometimes the one, 
as in 1 : 17. 3 : 20. 4 : 16, &c. &c., and sometimes the other, as in 3 : 22, 
25. Gal. 2:16, &c. &c., and as each of the prepositions employed in the 
original is used to express the means by which any thing is done. 

(31) Do we then make void tKe law through faith ? God forhid : yea^ 
we establish the law. This verse states the third result of this method of 
salvation ; instead of invalidating, it establishes the law. As Paul uses 
the word law in so many senses, it is doubtful which one of them is here 
principally intended. In every sense, however, the declaration is true. 
If the law means the Old Testament generally, then it is true, for the 
gospel method of justification contradicts no one of its statements, is in- 
consistent with no one of its doctrines, and invalidates no one of its pro- 
mises, but is harmonious with all, and confirmatory of the whole. If it 
means the Mosaic institutions specially, these were shadows of which 
Christ is the substance. That law is abolished, not by being pronounced 
spurious or invalid, but by having met its accomplishment, and answered 
its design in the gospel. What it taught and promised, the gospel also 
teaches and promises, only in clearer and fuller measure. If it means 
the moral law, which no doubt was prominently intended, still it is not 
invalidated, but established. No moral obligation is weakened, no penal 
sanction disregarded. The precepts are enforced by new and stronger 
motives, and the penalty is answered in him, who bore our sins in his 
own body on the tree. To whom be glory now and for ever. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The evangelical doctrine of justification by faith is the doctrine of 
the Old no less than of the New Testament, v. 21. 

2. Justification is pronouncing one to be just, and treating him accord- 
mgly, on the ground that the demands of the law have been satisfied 
concerning him, vs. 24, 25, 26. 

3. The ground of justification is not our own merit, nor faith, nor 
evangelical obedience; not the work of Christ in us, but his work for 
us, i. e. his obedience unto death, v. 25. 

4. An act may be perfectly gratuitous as it regards its object, and at 
the same time proceed on the ground of a complete satisfaction to the 
demands of the law. Thus justification is gratuitous, not because 
those demands are unsatisfied, but because it is granted to those who 
have no personal ground of recommendation, vs. 24, 26. 

5. God is the ultimate end of all his own acts. To declare his glory 
is the highest and best end which he can propose for himself or his 
creatures, v. 25. 

6. The atonement does not consist in a display to others of the divine 



84 ROMANS 3: 21—31. 

justice; this is one of its designs and results, but it is such a display 
only by being a satisfaction to the justice of God. It is not a symbol 
or illustration, but a satisfaction, v. 26. 

7. All true doctrine tends to humble men and to exalt God; and all 
true religion is characterized by humility and reverence, v. 27. 

8. God is a universal Father, and all men are brethren, vs. 29, 30. 

9. The law of God is immutable. Its precepts are always binding, 
and its penalty must be inflicted either on the sinner or his substitute. 
When, however, it is said that the penalty of the law is inflicted on the 
Redeemer, as the sinner's substitute, or in the language of Scripture, that 
*' he was made a curse for us," it cannot be imagined that he suflfered 
the same kind of evils (as remorse, &c.) which the sinner would have 
suflfered. The law threatens no specific kind of evil as its penalty. 
The term death in Scripture designates any or all the evils inflicted in 
punishment of sin. And the penalty, or curse of the law (in the lan- 
guage of the Bible), is any evil judicially inflicted in satisfaction of the 
demands of justice. To say that Christ suffered, therefore, to satisfy 
the law; to declare the righteousness of God, or that he might be just 
in justifying him that believes in Jesus ; that he bore the penalty of the 
law, are all equivalent expressions, v. 31. 



1. As the cardinal doctrine of the Bible is justification by faith, so 
the turning point in the soul's history, the saving act, is the reception of 
Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins, v. 25. 

2. All modes of preaching must be erroneous which do not lead sin- 
ners to feel that the great thing to be done, and done first, is to receive 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and to turn unto God through him. And all re- 
ligious experience must be defective which does not embrace distinctly 
a sense of the justice of our condemnation, and a conviction of the sufl^i- 
ciency of the work of Christ, and an exclusive reliance upon it as such, 
V. 25. 

3. As God proposes his own glory as the end of all that he does, so 
ought we to have that glory as the constant and commanding object of 
pursuit, V. 25. 

4. The doctrine of atonement produces in us its proper effect 
when it leads us to see and feel that God is just ; that he is infinitely 
gracious; that we are deprived of all ground of boasting; that the way 
of salvation, which is open for us, is open for all men ; and that the mo- 
tives to all duty, instead of being weakened, are enforced and multiplied, 
vs. 25—31. 

5. Jn the gospel all is harmonious; justice and mercy, as it regards 
God ; freedom from the law, and the strongest obligations to obedience, 
as it regards men, v. 25, 31. 



ROMANS 4 : 1—17. 85 



CHAPTER IV. 

CONTENTS. 

Tric object 01 this chapter is to confirm the doctrine of justification 
»y faith. It is divicfed into two parts. The first, from v. 1 to 17 inclu- 
eive, contains the argumentative portion. The second, v. 18 to 25, is 
an illustration of the faith of Abraham. 

CHAP. 4: 1—17. 

*What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the 
flesh, hath found 1 ^For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath 
whereof to glory ; but not before God. ^F^or what saith the Scripture 1 
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 
*Now to him that worketh is the reward not "reckoned of grace, but of 
debt. ^But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth 
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. ^Even as David also 
describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth right- 
eousness without works, "^saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are 
forgiven, and whose sins are covered. ^Blessed is man to whom the 
Lord will not impute sin. ^Cometh this blessedness then upon the cir- 
cumcision only, or upon the circumcision also 1 for we say that faith was 
reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. ^°How was it then reckoned ? 
when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision 1 Not in circumci- 
sion, but in uncircumcision. ^^And he received the sign of circumcision, 
a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircum- 
cised : that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they 
be not circumcised ; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also : 
*%nd the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision 
only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, 
which he had, being yet uncircumcised. ^^For the promise, that he should 
be the heir of the world, ivas not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the 
law, but through the righteousness of fai'th. ^*For if they which are of 
the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect : 
*^because the law worketh wrath : for where no law is, there is no 
transgression. ^^Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace ; to 
the end the promise might be sure to all the seed ; not to that only which 
is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham ; who is the 
father of us all, ^''(as it is written, I have made thee a father of many na- 
tions,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the 
dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 

ANALYSIS. 

Paul, from the 21st verse of the preceding chapter, had been setting 
forth the gospel method of salvation. That this is the true method he 

H 



86 ROMANS 4: 1—17. 

now proves, 1. From the fact that Abraham was justified by faith, vs. 
1 — 5. That this was really the case he shows, first, because otherwise 
Abraham would have had ground of boasting-, even in the sight of God, 
V. 2 ; second, because the Scriptures expressly declare that he was justi- 
fied by faith, v. 3. 

V^erses 4, 5, are designed to show, that being justified by faith is tan- 
tamount with being justified gratuitously, and, therefore, all those pas- 
sages which speak of the gratuitous forgiveness of sins may be fairly 
cited in favour of the doctrine of justification by faith. 

2. On this principle he adduces Ps. 32 : 1, 2, as his second argument, 
for there David speaks, not of rewarding the righteous as such, or for 
their righteousness, but of the free acceptance of the unworthy, vs. 6 — 8. 

3. The third argument is designed to show that circumcision is not a 
necessary condition of justification, from the fact that Abraham was justi- 
fied before he was circumcised ; and; therefore, is the head and father of 
all believers, whether circumcised or not, vs. 9 — 12. 

4. The fourth argument is from the nature of the covenant made with 
Abraham, in which the promise was made on the condition of faith, and 
not of legal obedience, vs. 13, 14. 

5. And the fifth, from the nature of the law, vs. 15 — 17. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) What shall we then say that Ahrahavi^ our father as pertaining 1o 
the Jlesh, hath found ? The connexion of this verse with the preceding 
train of reasoning is obvious. Paul had taught that we are justified by 
faith ; as well in confirmation of this doctrine, as to anticipate an objec- 
tion from the Jew, he refers to the case of Abraham. ' How was it then 
with Abraham ? How did he obtain justification "?' 

The words rendered as pertaining to the flesh may be more properly 
renderSd as to, or through the flesh. And instead of being connected 
with the word father, they should stand at the end of the verse, ' what 
hath Abraham our father found through the flesh V Such is their posi- 
tion in the original ; and although the sense is good, which is afforded 
by connecting thern as in our .version, yet the Greek will hardly admit 
of it. 

The wordi flesh in this connexion is variously explained. It is rendered 
by some naturally, by himself; and to the same amount by Grotius, hy 
his own powers. This, however, is, confessedly, a very unusual signifi- 
cation of the term. Others again suppose that the reference is to circum- 
cision ; ' through the flesh' is then equivalent to ' circumcision which is 
in the flesh.' But there is no ground for this specific reference in the context. 
Paul often uses the word flesh in a general way for every thing external, re- 
lating to ceremonies, legal observances, &c. ; see Gal. 6 : 12, " As many as 
desire to make a fair show in the flesh ;" Gal. 3:3," Having begun in 
the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh ;" Phil. 3 : 3, 4, where 



ROMANS 4: 1--17. 87 

Paul says he 'has no confiden<je in the flesh,' and adds, "If any other 
man thinketh he hath whereof to glory in the flesh, I more." He then 
enumerates his Hebrew descent, his being a Pharisee, his blameless legal 
righteousness, as all included in this comprehensive expression. By the 
term, in this instance, is to be understood all the advantages of Abraham, 
and all his works, as the context shows. The point of the apostle's 
question is, ' Has Abraham obtained justification or the favour of God by 
the flesh?' To this a negative answer is supposed, for which the next 
verse assigns the reason, 'For if Abraham was justified by works,' &c. 
The phrase by luorks, therefore, is substituted for through the Jlesh, as 
being, in this case, perfectly equivalent to it. 

(2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, 
hut not before God. The apostle's mode of reasoning is so concise as 
often to leave some of the steps of his argument to be supplied, which, 
however, are almost always sufficiently obvious from the context. As 
just remarked, a negative answer is to be supposed to the question in the 
first verse. Abraham has not attained the favour of God through the 
flesh. The force of /or at the beginning of this verse is then obvious, as 
introducing the reason for this answer. The most simple and satisfactory 
interpretation of this verse is the following. 'If Abraham was justified 
by works, he hath whereof to glory ; but he hath not whereof to glory 
before God, and, therefore, he was not justified by works ;' which is the 
conclusion which Paul intended to establish, and which he immediately 
confirms by the testimony of the Scriptures. The argument thus far is 
founded on the assumption, that no man can appear thus confidently 
before God, and boast of having done all that was required of him. If 
the doctrine of justification by works involves, as Paul shows it does, 
this claim to perfect obedience, it must be false. And that Abraham was 
not thus justified, he proves from the sacred record. 

(3) For what saith the scripture ? Abraham believed God, and it was 
counted to him for righteousness. The connexion of this verse with the 
preceding is this. Paul had just said Abraham had no ground of boasting 
with God; For what saith the Scripture? Does it refer the ground of 
Abraham's justification to his works? By no means. It declares he 
was justified by faith ; which Paul immediately shows is equivalent to 
saying that he was justified gratuitously. The passage quoted by the 
apostle is Gen. 15: 6, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to 
him (i. e. imputed to him) for righteousness." This is an important pas- 
sage, as the phrase " to impute faith for righteousness" occurs repeatedl)'' 
in Paul's writings. The primary meaning of the word here rendered to 
count to, or to impute, is to reckon, or number ; 2 Chron. 5:6," Which 
could not be numbered for multitude ;" Mark 15 : 28, " He was numbered 
with transgressors ;" see Isa. 53 : 12, &c. &c. 2. It means to esteem, oi 
regard as something, that is, to number as belonging to a certain class of 
things ; Gen. 31 : 15, " Are we not counted of him strangers ;" Isa. 40 : 



88 ROMANS 4 : 1—17. 

17, &c. &c. ; compare Job 19: 11. 33: 10, in the Hebrew. 3. It is 
used in the more general sense of purposing, devising, considering, think- 
ing, &c. 4. In strict connexion with its primary meaning, it signifies to 
impute, to set to one''s account ,- that is, to number among the things be- 
longing to a man, or chargeable upon him. It generally implies the 
accessory idea, ' of treating one according to the nature of the thing im- 
puted.' Thus, in the frequent phrase to impute sin, as 2 Sam. 19 : 19, 
" Let not my Lord impute iniquity unto me," i. e. ' Let him not lay it to 
my charge, and treat me accordingly;' compare 1 Sam. 22: 15, in the 
Hebrew and Septuagint; Ps. 32: 2 (Septuagint 31), "Blessed is the 
man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity," &c. &c. And in the New 
Testament, 2 Cor. 5 : 19, " Not imputing unto nien their trespasses ;" 
2 Tim. 4 : 16, " I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge," &c, 
&c. These, and numerous similar passages, render the scriptural idea 
of imputation perfectly clear. It is laying any thing to one's charge, and 
treating him accordingly. It produces no change in the individual to 
whom the imputation is made ; it simply alters his relation to the law. 
As far as the meaning of the word is concerned, it is a matter of indiffer- 
ence whether the thing imputed belonged antecedently to the person to 
whom the imputation is made or not. Compare Lev. 17: 4, and vs. 6, 
11 of this chapter, in which Paul speaks of righteousness being imputed 
to those to whom it does not personally belong. 

The expression " faith was counted to him for righteousness" is va- 
riously explained. Some understand the word faith as including its ob- 
ject, i. e. the righteousness of Christ, so that it is not faith considered 
as an act that is imputed, but faith considered as including the merit 
which it apprehends and appropriates. But this interpretation is incon- 
sistent with the connexion in which the passage occurs, both in the Old 
and New Testament. 

Besides this view of the passage, there are three others founded on the 
different senses of the word righteousness. It may mean all that the law 
demands, complete obedience. If this sense of the word be adopted, 
then the passage means that faith was laid to his account as though it 
were complete obedience ; it was taken for righteousness. This inter- 
pretation is perfectly natural and consistent with the constructure of the 
passage and the usage of the terms ; it however is inconsistent with the 
apostle's doctrine. 1. It contradicts all those passages in which the 
sacred writers teach that men cannot be justified by any of their own 
works. Faith is as much a work as prayer, repentance, almsgiving, or 
any other act of obedience to God; and therefore, if we are justified on 
the ground of our faith, or if faith is taken in place of complete obe- 
dience to the law, we are justified by works. 2. It contradicts all those 
passages in which the merit of Christ, in any form, is said to be the 
ground of our acceptance. 3. It is inconsistent with the oflSce assigned 
to faith. We are said to be justified by or through faith, but never on 
account of faith. The expression by " faith in his blood" admits of no 



ROMANS 4: 1—17. 89 

other interpretation than ' by means of faith in the blood of Christ as the 
ground of acceptance.' It lies in the nature of a sacrifice that the ofFer- 
ing is the ground of acceptance ; our confidence in it, or our faith, is the 
condition of its being accepted on our behalf. Faith therefore is the in- 
strumental, but not the meritorious, cause of justification. 4. Accord- 
ingly the sacred, writers never refer us to our faith, or to any thing in 
ourselves, as the ground of confidence towards God. 

According to the second view the word righteousness is taken in a 
much more limited sense, and the phrase ' to impute faith for righteous- 
ness' is understood to mean ' faith was regarded as right, it was ap- 
proved.' This interpretation also is perfectly consistent with usage. 
Thus Ps. 106 : 31, it is said cf the zeal of Phineas, " It was counted to 
him as righteousness." This, of course, does not mean that it was re- 
garded as complete obedience to the law, and taken in its stead as the 
ground of justification. It means simply that his zeal was approved of. 
It was regarded, says Dr. Owen, " as a just and rewardable action." In 
like manner, Deut. 24: 13, it is said of returning a pledge, " It shall be 
righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God." Agreeably to the 
analogy of these passages the meaning of this clause may be, ' his faith 
was regarded as right, it secured the approbation of God :' how it did 
this must be learned from other passages. 

The third interpretation assumes that the word translated righteous- 
ness means here, as it does in many other passages, justification. The 
sense then is, ' Faith was imputed to him for justification,' i. e. that he 
might be justified, or in order to his becoming and being treated as right- 
eous ; see 10 : 4, " Christ is the end of the law for righteousness," i. e. 
in order that every one that believes may be regarded as righteous. No- 
thing is more familiar than this use of the preposition here used by the 
apostle. It points out the design with which any thing is done, as " unto 
repentance," that men may repent. Matt. 3: 11 ; "unto death," that we 
may die, Rom. 6:3. So 'unto salvation,' Rom. 10 : 1 ; 'unto condem- 
nation,' Luke 24 : 20. Or it indicates the result; Rom. 10 : 10, " With 
the heart man believ'eth unto righteousness," i. e. so that he is justified, 
regarded and treated as righteous. This view of the passage expresses 
accurately the apostle's meaning. It was not as ' one who works,' but 
as a believer, that Abraham was regarded in his justification. It was 
not works, but faith, that was imputed to him, in order to his being in- 
troduced into the number and blessings of the righteous. Faith, there- 
fore, was not the ground of his justification, but the means of his being 
justified. 

(4, 5) JVow to him that worheth is the reward not reckoned of grace, hut 
of debt, but to him that worketh not, &c. These verses are designed, in 
the first place, to vindicate the pertinency of the quotation from Scrip- 
ture made in v. 3 ; by showing that the declaration ' faith was imputed 
for righteousness,' is a denial that works were the ground of Abraham's 
acceptance; and, secondly, that to justify by faith is to justify gratui- 

h2 



90 ROMANS 4: 1—17. 

tously, and therefore af. passages which speak of ^atuitous acceptance 
are in favour of the doctrine of justification by faith. 

Now to him that worketh, that is, either emphatically ' to him who 
does all that is required of him ;' or to 'him who seeks to be accepted 
on account of his works.' The former explanation is the better. The 
words then state a general proposition, ' To him that is obedient, or who 
performs a stipulated work, the recompense is not regarded as a gratuity, 
but as a debt.' 

(5) But to him that worketh not, hut believeth on him who jusiijieth 
the ungodly, to him faith is counted for ri ghteousness. " To him that 
worketh not," i. e. who makes no pretence of earning or meriting a re- 
ward, but renouncing all dependence on his works, "believeth on him 
who justifieth the ungodly," to him, from the nature of the case, accept- 
ance is a gratuity. It lies in the nature of the faith of which Paul 
speaks, that he who exercises it should feel and acknowledge that he is 
ungodly, and consequently undeserving of the favour of God. He, of 
course, in relying on the mercy of God, must acknowledge that his ac- 
ceptance is a matter of grace, and not of debt. The meaning of the 
apostle is plainly this : ' To him that worketh the reward is a matter of 
debt, but to him who worketh not, but believes simply, the reward is a 
matter of grace.' Instead, however, of saying 'it is a matter of grace,' 
he uses as an equivalent expression, " to him faith is counted for right- 
eousness." That is, he is justified by faith. To be justified by faith, 
therefore, is to be justified gratuitously, and not by works. It is thus 
he proves that the passage cited in v. 3, respecting Abraham, was perti- 
nent to his purpose as an argument against justification by works. It at 
the same time shows that all passages which speak of gratuitous accept- 
ance, may be cited in proof of his doctrine of justification by faith. 
The way is thus opened for his second argument, which is derived from 
the testimony of David. 

It is to be remarked that Paul speaks of God as justifying the wn- 
godly. Of course they are regarded and treated as righteous, not on the 
ground of their personal character; and it is further apparent that justi- 
fication does not consist in making one inherently just or holy ; for it is 
as ungodly that those who believe are freely justified for Christ's sake. 
It never was the doctrine of the reformation, or of the Lutheran and Cal- 
vinistic divines, that the imputation of righteousness affected the moral 
character of those concerned. It is true, whom God justifies he also 
sanctifies, but justification is not sanctification, and the imputation of 
righteousness is not the infusion of righteousness. 

(6) Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man to whom 
God imputeth righteousness without works. Paul's first argument in 
favour of gratuitous justification was from the case of Abraham ; his 
second is from the testimony of David. The immediate connexion of 
this verse is with v. 5. At the conclusion of that verse it was said, to 
him who had no works faith is imputed in order to his justification, i. e 



ROMANS 4 : 1—17. 91 

he is justified gratuitously, even as David speaks of the blessedness of 
him whom, although destitute of merit, God regards and treats as right- 
eous. Descriheth the blessedness, i. e. pronounces blessed. To whom 
God imputeth righteousness without works, that is, whom God regards and 
treats as righteous, although he is not in himself righteous. The meaning 
of this clause cannot be mistaken. ' To impute sin' is to lay sin to the 
charge of any one, and to treat him accordingly, as is universally admit- 
ted; so 'to impute righteousness' is to set righteousness to one's ac- 
count, and to treat him accordingly. This righteousness does not, of 
course, belong antecedently to those to whom it is imputed, for they are 
ungodly and destitute of works. Here then is an imputation to men of 
what does not belong to them, and to which they have in themselves no 
claim. To impute righteousness is the apostle's definition of the term 
to justify. It is not making men inherently righteous, or morally pure, 
but it is regarding and treating them as just. This is done, not on the 
ground of personal character or works, but on the ground of the right- 
eousness of Christ. As this is dealing with men, not according to merit, 
but in a gracious manner, the passage cited from Ps. 32 : 1, 2, is pre- 
cisely in point, " Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and 
whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not 
impute sin." That is, blessed is the man who, although a sinner, is re- 
garded and treated as righteous. As the remission of sin is necessarily 
connected with restoration to God's favour, the apostle speaks of it as the 
whole of justification ; not that the idea of remission exhausts the whole 
idea of justification, but it necessarily implies the rest. In like manner, 
in Eph. 1 : 7, it is said, " In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness 
of sin ;" which does not imply that forgiveness is the whole of redemp- 
tion, that the gift of the Spirit, the glorification of the body, and eternal 
life, which are so constantly spoken of as fruits of Christ's work and 
parts of " the purchased possession" (Eph. 1 : 14), are to be excluded. 

(9) Cometh this blessedness upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncir- 
cumcision also? &e. The apostle's third argument, commencing with 
this verse and continuing to the 12th, has special reference to circumci- 
sion. He had proved that Abraham was not justified on account of his 
works generally; he now proves that circumcision is neither the ground 
nor condition of his acceptance. The proof of this point is brief and con- 
clusive. It is admitted that Abraham was justified. The only question 
is, was it before or after his circumcision ? If before, it certainly was 
not on account of it. As it was before, circumcision must have had some 
other object. 

' Cometh this blessedness.^ There is nothing in the original to answer 
to the word cometh, although some word of the kind must be supplied. 
The word rendered blessedness me?Lns more properly ' declaration of bless- 
edness.' 'This declaration of blessedness, is it upo7i, i. e. is it about, 
does it concern the circumcision only]' The preposition used by the 
apostle often points out the direction of an action, or the object concerning 



92 ROMANS 4: 1—17. 

which any thing is said. This question has not direct reference to the 
persons to whom the offers of acceptance are applicable, as though it 
were equivalent to asking, 'Is this blessedness confined to the Jews, or 
may it be extended to the Gentiles also V because this is not the subject 
now in hand. It is the ground or condition of acceptance, and not the 
persons to whom the offer is to be made, that is now under consideration. 
The question, therefore, is, in substance, this, ' Does this declaration of 
blessedness relate to the circumcised, as such 1 Is circumcision neces- 
sary to justification V which is the blessing of which Paul is speaking. 
For we say that faith was reckoned to Ahraham for righteousness 
For merely indicates the resumption of the case of Abraham. The pre- 
ceding verses are occupied with the testimony of David, which decided 
nothing as to the point of circumcision. To determine whether this rite 
was a necessary condition of acceptance, it was requisite to refer again to 
the case of Abraham. To decide the point presented in the question at 
the beginning of the verse, the apostle argues from the position already 
established. It is conceded or proved that Abraham was justified by 
faith ; to determine whether circumcision is necessary, we have only to 
ask, under what circumstances was he thus justified, before or after cir- 
cumcision? 

(10) How was it then reckoned? When he was in circumcision or un- 
circumcision ? Not in circumcision, hut in uncircumcision. Of course, 
bis circumcision, which was long subsequent to his justification, could 
not be either the ground or necessary condition of his acceptance with 
God. 

(11) And he received the sign of circumcision, the seal of the righteous- 
ness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, &c. As Paul had 
shown that circumcision was not the condition of justification, it became 
necessary to declare its true nature and design. TTie sign of circumci- 
sion, i. e. circumcision which was a sign (genitive of apposition) ; as 
" the earnest of the Spirit," for ' the Spirit which is an earnest,' 2 Cor. 1 : 
22. The seal of the righteousness of faith, &c. The phrase righteousness 
of faith is a concise expression ' for righteousness which is attained by 
faith,' or, as it stands more fully in Phil. 3: 9, "the righteousness of 
God, which is by faith." The word righteousness, in such connexions, 
includes, with the idea of excellence or obedience, that of consequent 
blessedness. It is the ' state of acceptableness with God.' The circumci- 
sion of Abraham was designed to confirm to him the fact, that he was 
regarded and treated by God as righteous, through faith, which was the 
means of his becoming interested in the promise of redemption. This 
was a faith which Abraham had, being yet uncircumcised, literally, by or 
with uncircumcision ; see ch. 2 : 27, where the same preposition is used, 
as it is here, to indicate the state or condition in which a person is. 

That he might he the father of all that believe, though they be not cir- 
cumcised, &c. ' That he might be ;' the form of expression in the origi- 
nal may signify either the design or result. If the former, as it is taken 



ROMANS 4: 1—17. 93 

in our version, the meaning is, that the annunciation of the justification 
of Abraham before his circumcision, was with the design that he might 
be the father of uncircumcised believers. If the latter, the sense is, ' He 
was thus justified, hence he is,' &c. Either method suits the context; 
the latter seems, however, the more natural. The word father is often 
used to exprlil the general idea of dependence, as of a disciple on a mas- 
ter (hence it is applied to teachers in religion. Abbas, Papa, Pope, Pater, 
the Fathers, &c.) ; of a follower on a leader, &c. Hence, the inventor or 
author of any thing is called -a. father ; Gen. 4 : 20, "The father of all 
those who handle the organ." Abraham is called the " father of the 
faithful," as their leader, from being the first conspicuous example of 
faith recorded in the Scriptures, and from being the head of the family of 
God, i. e. of his peculiar people. As the church, under the Old Testa- 
ment, stood in this relation to Abraham, it was not disowned by those 
introduced into it, when the middle wall of partition between the Jews 
and Gentiles was broken down. To be a child of Abraham is to be like 
him, to have the same faith that he had. Gal. 3:7; and, of course, as 
their head, leader, and example, Abraham is the father of all those who 
believe. 

Of all that believe, though they be not circumcised, literally, ' of all be- 
lieving with (or in) uncircumcision ;' see the previous clause, and ch. 3 : 
27. That righteousness might be imputed unto them also. The connexion 
and design of these words are not very clear, and they are, therefore, 
variously explained. They may be considered as explanatory of the 
former clause, and, therefore, connected with the first part of the verse. 
The sense would then be, 'Abraham was justified, being yet uncircum- 
cised, that he might be the father of believers, although uncircumcised, 
that is, that righteousness might be imputed unto them also.' But the 
logical connexion is not thus very plain, as the justification of Abraham 
was not designed to secure the justification of others. This clause is 
most commonly regarded as a parenthesis, designed to indicate the point 
of resemblance between Abraham and those of whom he is called the 
father. ' He is the father of uncircumcised believers, since they also 
are justified by faith as he was.' Righteousness was imputed to thentii 
see above, vs. 3, 6. 

(12) And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circurri' 
eision only, but who also walk, &c. " Father of circumcision'^ means 
'the father of the circumcised.' As, in Hebrew, the expression occurs 
" father to," as well as " father of," Paul uses the former expression here, 
'Father to them;' see 2 Sam. 7: 14. Heb. 1 : 5. The meaning of this 
verse is doubtful. Agreeably to our version, which adheres closely to 
the Greek, the meaning is, ' Abraham is not the father of the uncircum- 
cised believers only, as stated in v. 11, but he is the father of the circum- 
cised also, provided they follow the example of his faith.' According to 
this view, as the 11th verse declares him to be the father of believing 
Gentiles, this presents him as the father of believing Jews, i. e. of those 



94 ROMANS 4 : 1—17. 

Jews which have some better bond of connexion with him than circum- 
cision merely. But, according to another interpretation, this verse 
includes both classes of his spiritual seed. ' He is the father of the cir- 
cumcision, and not of the circumcision only, but of those also who follow 
his faith which he had, being yet uncircumcised.' The^onstruction in 
the Greek is in favour of the former method. The expression is, 'To 
those who are not of the circumcision only, but, &c.' instead of being, 
' Not to those only who are,' &c., as the latter interpretation would 
require; compare v. 16. 

Verses 13 — 16 contain two additional arguments in favour of the 
apostle's doctrine. The first, vs. 13, 14, is the same as that presented 
more at length in Gal. 3 : 18, &c., and is founded on the nature of a 
covenant. The promise, having been made to Abraham (and his seed) 
on the condition of faith, cannot now, consistently with fidelity, be made 
to depend on obedience to the law. The second argument, vs. 15, 16, is 
from the nature of the law itself. 

(13) For the promise thai he should he heir of the world was not to 
Mraham or to his seed, &c. The word for does not connect this verse 
with the one immediately preceding, as a proof of the insufficientjy of 
circumcision. It rather marks the introduction of a new argument in 
favour of the general proposition which the chapter is designed to esta- 
blish. As Abraham was not justified for his circumcision, so neither 
was it on account of his obedience to the law. The promise here spoken 
of is, that Abraham and his seed should be the heirs of the world. The 
word heir in Scripture frequently means secure possessor, Heb. 1 : 2. 
6: 17. 11 : 7, &c. This use of the term probably arose from the fact, 
that among the Jews, possession by inheritance was much more secure 
and permanent than that obtained by purchase. As no such promise as 
that mentioned in this verse is contained, in so many words, in the Old 
Testament, the apostle must have designed to express what he knew to 
be the purport of those actually given. The expression, however, has 
been variously explained. 1. Some understand the world to mean the 
land of Canaan merely. But in the first place, this is a very unusual, if 
not an entirely unexampled use of the word. And, in the second place, 
this explanation is inconsistent with the context ; for Paul has reference 
to a promise of which, as appears from v. 16, believing Gentiles were to 
partake. 2. Others understand the apostle to refer to the promise that 
Abraham should be the father of many nations. Gen. 17 : 5, and his pos- 
terity be as numerous as the stars of heaven. Gen. 15:5; promises which 
they limit to his natural descendants, who, being widely scattered, may 
be said, in a limited sense, to possess the world. But this interpreta- 
tion is irreconcilable with v. 16. 3. Besides the promises already referred 
to, it was also said, that in him all the nations of the earth should be 
blessed. Gen. 12: 3. This, as Paul explains it. Gal. 3: 16, &c., had 
direct reference to the blessings of redemption through Jesus Christ, who 
was the seed of Abraham. And here, too, he speaks of blessings of which 



ROMANS 4 : 1—17. 95 

all believers partake. The possession of the world, therefore, here 
intended, must be understood in a manner consistent with these passages. 
The expression is frequently taken in a general sense, as indicating gene- 
ral prosperity and Ijappiness. " To be heir of the world" would then 
mean to be prosperous and happy, in the best sense of the words. Re- 
ference is made, in support of this interpretation, to such passages as 
Matt. 5:5," The meek shall inherit the earth ;" Ps. 25 : 13, " The seed 
of the righteous shall inherit the earth;" Ps. 37: 11. The promise 
then, to be the heir of the world, is a general promise of blessedness. 
And as the happiness promised to believers, or the pious as such, is, of 
course, the happiness consequent on religion, and is its reward, the pro- 
mise in this sense may include all the blessings of redemption. So in 
Gal. 3 : 14, Paul uses the expression " that the blessing of Abraham 
might come on the Gentiles," as equivalent to saying, ' that all the bless- 
ings of the gospel might come upon them." 4. Or the promises in 
question may have reference to the actual possession of the world by the 
spiritual seed of Abraham, and Christ their head. The declaration that 
Abraham should be the father of many nations, and that his seed should 
be as the stars of heaven for multitude, included far more than that his 
natural descendants should be very numerous. If they who are of faith 
' are the seed of Abraham, and heirs of the promise,' Gal. 3 : 9, 29, then 
will the promise, as stated by the apostle, have its literal accomplish- 
ment ; when the kingdoms of this world are given to the saints of the 
most high God (Dan. 7 : 27), and when the uttermost parts of the earth 
become the possession of Christ. In this sense, the promise includes 
the universal prevalence of the true religion, involving, of course, the 
advent of Christ, the establishment of his kingdom, and all its consequent 
blessings. 

The promise to Abraham and his seed was not through the law, hut 
through the righteousness of faith. That is, it was not on condition of 
obedience to the law, but on condition of his having that righteousness 
which is obtained by faith. Through the law is, therefore, equivalent to 
through the works of the law, as appears from its opposition to the latter 
clause, ' righteousness of faith.' By the law is to be understood the whole 
rule of duty, as in other passages of the same kind ; see 3:20. In this 
sense it of course includes the Mosaic law, which, to the Jews, was the 
most prominent portion of the revealed will of God, and by obedience to 
which especially they hoped for the mercy of God. 

(14) For if they who are of the law he heirs, &c. The original con- 
dition being faith, if another be substituted the covenant is broken, the 
promise violated, and the condition made of none effect. "They who 
are of the law" sometimes, as v. 16, means the Jews, i. e. those who 
have the law; compare v. 12, "Those of circumcision," &c. But here 
it means legalists, those who seek justification by the works of the law; 
as 'those who are of faith' are believers, those who seek justification by 
faith ; compare Gal. 3 : 10, " As many as are of the works of the law are 



90 ROMANS 4 : 1—17. 

under the curse," i. e. as many as seek acceptance by their own works. 
The apostle's meaning, therefore, obviously is, that if those who rely 
upon their own works are the heirs of the promise, and are accepted on 
the condition of obedience to the law, the whole covenant is broken, /ae7A 
is made void, and the promise made of none effect. " Is made void" is ren- 
dered useless ; see 1 Cor. 1 : 17, " The cross of Christ is made useless," 
9 : 15, &c. ; compare 1 Cor. 15 : 17, " Your faith is vain," not only 
without foundation, but of no use. The promise is made of none effect, 
i. e. is invalidated ; see ch. 3 : 3, 31. 

(15) Because the law worketh wrath, &c. This verse is not to be con- 
nected with the 14th, as the punctuation in our version would intimate, 
.as though it contained a proof of the declaration there made, that faith 
and the promise would be invalidated if works were made the ground of 
acceptance. For although it is true that this conclusion would follow 
from the nature of the law, inasmuch as it requires perfect obedience, 
and all who trust in it are under the curse, and of course not the heirs of 
the promise ; yet this idea is not presented as a proof that the promise 
must fail. That was proved in a different way in the previous verse. 
The argument from the nature of the law is intended to bear on the gene- 
ral proposition that justification is not by works. This verse, therefore, 
contains the fourth argument in the apostle's reasoning in support of his 
main doctrine. 

Worketh wrath, i. e. causes men to suffer wrath or punishment. This, 
however, the law does in two ways, and, therefore, there are two me- 
thods of explaining this verse. The law is condemnatory, its sanction 
or penalty is an essential part of it, and it is only in virtue of law that 
sin is punished ; for sin is not imputed or punished where there is no 
law ; or, where there is no law there is no transgression. The idea and 
argument then are, that it is the office of the law to condemn, and not to 
justify. As it requires perfect obedience, and says, " cursed is every 
one who continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do 
them," all who are under the law are under the curse. For sinners, 
therefore, salvation by the law is from its very nature impossible. Ac- 
cording to this view the argument of the apostle is analogous to that in 
Gal. 3:10. But there is another way in which the law works wrath ; 
it excites and exasperates the evil passions of the heart. Not from any 
defect, indeed, in the law itself, but from the nature of sin. This idea 
the apostle frequently presents, 7 : 5, &c. 8:3, The meaning then is, 
that the law which, instead of freeing men from sin, incidentally renders 
these transgressions more numerous and conspicuous, and thus brings 
them more and more under condemnation, is not, from its nature, capable 
of securing the justification of men. This is perhaps the most com- 
monly received view of the passage. The former, however, seems more 
natural, and better suited to the context. 

For where there is no law there is no transgression. The meaning 
given to this clause depends upon the view taken of the preceding one 



ROMANS 4: 1—17. 97 

Calvin and others understand it as explaining the method in which the 
law works wrath, or calls down the displeasure of God. It is because 
sin, by the knowledge imparted by the law, is rendered less excusable, 
and deserving of severer punishment. Transgression is understood em- 
phatically for the contumacious violation of the known will of God. 
But, according to the former of the two explanations given of the first 
clause, this more naturally expresses the general idea that law and trans- 
gression are correlative terms ; the latter implies the former. If there 
v/ere no law^ there could be no transgression, and therefore no punish- 
ment. It is the law, therefore, which gives sin its condemning power. 
This being the case, it is obvious that the law which secures the punish- 
ment of sin, cannot be the means of the sinner's justification. 

(16) Therefore it is of faith, that it might be qf grace; to the end 
that the promise might he sure to all the seed, &c. This and the fol- 
lowing verse contain the conclusion from the previous reasoning, and 
especially from the two preceding arguments. The expression in the 
original is simply therefore of faith. It matters little, as to the sense, 
whether the words we are heirs be supplied from v. 14, or the word pro- 
mise from V. 13. * Therefore the promise is of faith,' that it might be of 
grace, see vs. 4, 5, i. e. not of works ; for if of works, as Paul had just 
shown, the covenant would be broken, and the promise invalidated. If 
this condition be insisted upon, no one, from the very nature of the law, 
can be saved. But, being of faith and gratuitous, it is sure to all the 
seed. The words rendered to the end are the same as those which oc- 
cur V. 11, and express either the design or result. The sense may there- 
fore be, ' It is of faith, in order that it might be sure,' &c. or, ' It is of 
faith, and hence is sure,' &c. To all the seed, i. e. all the children of 
Abraham, as well those which are of the law, i. e. Jews, see Acts 10 : 45, 
&c., as those which are of the faith of Abraham, i. e. the Gentiles, whose 
only bond of union with Abraham is the possession of the same faith 
which he had ; see Gal. 3 : 7, &c. Who is the father of us all. It is 
in this sense that Abraham is the father, the head and leader of all be- 
lievers who are his children, because they are like him, and heirs of the 
promise made to him, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. Gal. 3 : 29, 
"If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to 
the promise." 

(17) As it is written, I have made thee father of many nations. Gen. 
17 : 5. This declaration, the apostle informs us, contains a great deal 
more than the assurance that the natural descendants of Abraham should 
be very numerous. Taken in connexion with the promise that " in him 
all the nations of the earth should be blessed," it refers to his spiritual 
as well as his natural seed, and finds its full accomplishment in the ex- 
tension of the blessing promised to him to those of all nations who are 
his children by faith. This clause is very properly marked as a paren- 
thesis, as the preceding one, " who is the father of us all," must be con- 
nected immediately with the following words, before him whom he be- 

I 



98 ROMANS 4 : 1—17. 

heved, even God ivho quickeneth the dead, &c. The orig-inal here is 
very difficult. The most probable explanation is that which resolves 
the sentence much in the same manner as in our own version, " Before 
God, in whom he believed," i. e. he is the father of us all, in the sight 
or estimation of that God in whom he believed. 

God is here described as quickening the dead, and calling those things 
vjhich he not as though they were. This passage is very variously ex- 
plained. It may be considered, 1. As a description of the omnipotence 
of God. The promise made to Abraham seemed impossible of fulfilment, 
yet he believed in that Almighty God 'who quickens the dead, and calls, 
i. e. commands and controls, things that are not as though they were.' 
2. It may be explained more in reference to the divine omniscience. God 
foresaw how numerous would be the spiritual seed of Abraham. He 
was declared to be the father of many nations in the sight of that God 
who sees the end from the beginning, vrho wakes up the dead, and before 
whom the future and the present, the nonexistent and the already existing, 
are alike. Both these ideas may be united ; the object of Abraham's faith 
was the almighty and all-seeing God, u-ho sees and controls the living 
and the dead, the future and the present, with equal ease. The idea of 
the divine power is so prominently presented in the following verses, 
19 — 21, that it certainly should not be omitted here. When Paul speaks 
of God, especially as the object of faith, it is not unusual for him to add 
some descriptive clause, declarative of some of his attributes or acts, as 
the special ground of confidence ; compare v. 24. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. If the greatest and best men of the old dispensation had to renounce 
entirely dependence upon their works, and to accept of the favour of 
God as a gratuity, justification by works must, for all men, be impossible, 
vs. 2, 3. 

2. No man can glory, that is, complacently rejoice, in his own good- 
ness in the sight of God. And this every man of an enlightened con- 
science feels. The doctrine of justification by works, therefore, is incon- 
sistent with the inward testimony of conscience, and can never give true 
peace of mind, v. 2. 

3. The two methods of justification cannot be united. They are as 
inconsistent as wages and a free gift. If of works, it is not of grace ; and 
if of grace, it is not of works, vs. 4, 5. 

4. As God justifies the ungodly, it cannot be on the ground of their 
own merit, but must be by the imputation of a righteousness which does 
not personally belong to them, and which they received by faith, vs. 5, 
6, 11. 

5. The blessings of the gospel, and the method of justification which 
it proposes, are suited to all men ; and are not to be confined by sectarian 
limits, or bound down to ceremonial observances, vs. 9 — 11. 

6. The sacraments and ceremonies of the church, although in the 



r 



ROMANS 1: 1—17. 99 

highest degree useful when viewed in their proper light, become ruinous 
when perverted into grounds of confidence. What answers well as a 
sign is a miserable substitute for the thing signified. Circumcision 
will not serve for righteousness, nor baptism for regeneration, v. 10. 

7. As Abraham is the father of all believers, all believers are brethren. 
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, bond nor free among them as Chris- 
tians, vs. 11, 12. 

8. The seed of Abraham, or true believers, with Jesus Christ their 
head, are the heirs of the world. To them it will ultimately belong; 
even the uttermost parts of the earth shall be their possession, v. 13. 

9. To speak of justification by obedience to a law which we have 
broken is a solecism. That which condemns cannot justify, v. 15. 

10. No blessing is sure for sinners that is not gratuitous. A promise 
suspended on obedience they could never render sure. One entirely 
gratuitous needs only to be accepted to become ours, v. 16. 

11. It is the entire freeness of the gospel, and its requiring faith as the 
condition of acceptance, which renders it suited to all ages and nations, 
V. 16. 

12. The proper object of faith is the divine promise ; or God considered 
as able and determined to accomplish his word, v. 17. 



1. The renunciation of a legal self-righteous spirit is the first requisi- 
tion of the gospel. This must be done, or the gospel cannot be accepted. 
' He who works,' i. e. who trusts in his works, refuses to be saved by 
grace, vs. 1 — 5. 

2. The more intimately we are acquainted with our own hearts and 
with the character of God, the more ready shall we be to renounce our 
own righteousness and to trust in his mercy, vs. 2, 3.- 

3. Those only are truly happy and secure who, under a sense of ill- 
desert and helplessness, cast themselves upon the grace and promise of 
God, vs. 7, 8. 

4. Nothing is more natural, and nothing has occurred more extensively 
in the Christian church, than the perversion of the means of grace into 
grounds of dependence. Thus it was with circumcision, and thus it 
is with baptism, "the Lord's supper ; thus too with prayer, fasting, 
&c. &c. This is the rock on which millions have been shipwrecked, 
vs. 9—12. 

5. There is no hope for those, who, forsaking the grace of God, take 
refuge in a law which worketh wrath, v. 15. 

6. All things are ours if we are Christ's. Heirs of the life that now 
is, and of that which is to come, v. 13. 

7. As the God in whom believers trust, is he to whom all things are 
known, and all things are subject, they should be strong in faith, giving 
glory to God, v. 17. 



100 ROMANS 4: 18—25. 

CHAP. 4 : 18—25. 

*^Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father 
of many nations, according to that which was spoken. So shall thy seed 
be. ^9And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now 
dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness 
of Sarah's womb : ^^he staggered not at the promise of God through un- 
belief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God ; '^^and being fully 
persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 
^'^And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. ^sjsJq^ [^ ^ag 
not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him ; ^^but for us 
also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up 
Jesus our Lord from the dead ; ^^who was delivered for our offences, and 
was raised again for our justification. 



The object of this section is the illustration of the faith of Abraham, 
and the application of his case to our instruction. With regard to Abra- 
ham's faith, the apostle states, first, its object, viz. the divine promise, 
V. 18. He then illustrates its strength, by a reference to the apparent 
impossibility of the thing promised, vs. 19, 20. The ground of this con- 
fidence was the power and veracity of God, v. 21. The consequence 
was that Abraham was justified by his faith, v. 22. Hence it is to be 
inferred that this is the true method of justification; for the record was 
made to teach us this truth. We are situated as Abraham was; we are 
called upon to believe in the Almighty God, who, by raising up Christ 
from the dead, has accepted him as the propitiation for our sins, vs. 
23—25. 

COMMENTARY. 

18) Who against hope believed in hope, that is, who against all appa- 
rent grouna of hope, confidently believed. In hope, with hope, or confi- 
dently. Acts 2 : 26. 1 Cor. 9 : 10, &c. &c. That he might become the 
father of many nations. This clause, as it stands in the Greek, may ex- 
press either the design with which he believed, or the result of his believ- 
ing, or finally the object of his faith. ' He believed in order that he 
might be the father ;' or, '• He believed, and hence became the father,' 
&c. ; or, ' He believed that he should be the father,' &c. The last would 
seem best to suit the context, but it is not so consistent with the con- 
struction of the passage. Jlccording to that which was spoken, so shall thy 
seed be. This is a reference to the promise which was the object of 
Abraham's faith. It is a quotation from Gen. 15 : 5. The word so refers 
to the stars of heaven, mentioned in the passage as it stands in the Old 
Testament. The promise, therefore, particularly intended by the apostle, 
is, that Abraham should be the father of many nations, or that his seed 



ROMANS 4: 18—25. 101 

should be as numerous as the stars. It has already been seen, however, 
that the apostle understood this promise as including far more than that 
the natural descendants of Abraham should be very numerous ; see vs. 
13, 17. The expression in the text is a concise allusion to the various 
promises made to the ancient patriarch, which had reference to all nations 
being- blessed through him. The promise of a numerous posterity, 
therefore, included the promise of Christ and his redemption. This is 
evident, 1. Because Paul had been speaking of a promise, v. 16, in which 
believing Jews and Gentiles were alike interested ; see Gal. 3 : 14. 
2. Because Paul asserts and argues that the seed promised to Abraham, 
and to which the promise related, was Jesus Christ, Gal. 3 : 16. 3. So 
Abraham himself understood it, according to the declaration of our 
Saviour; John 8 : 56, "Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it 
and was glad." He looked forward under the greatest discouragements 
to the Redeemer as yet to come ; we have the easier task to look back to 
the same Deliverer, who has died for our sins, and risen again for our 
justification, v. 25. 

(19) And not being weak in faith, he considered not his own hody^ 
now dead, &c. The 18th verse had stated it was contrary to all appear- 
ances that Abraham believed ; this verse states the circumstances which 
tendered the accomplishment of the promise an apparent impossibility, 
viz. his own advanced age, and the age and barrenness of his wife. 
These circumstances he did not consider, that is, he did not allow them 
to have weight, he did not fix his mind on the difficulties of the case. 
Had he been weak in faith, and allowed himself to dwell on the obsta- 
cles to the fulfilment of the divine promise, he would have staggered.* 

(20) He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief &c. 
The word rendered to stagger signifies, in the middle voice, to contend 
with any one, to be in strife with one^s self, to doubt or hesitate. Matt. 21 : 
21, "If ye have faith, and doubt not," &c. ' He was not in doubt as to 
the promise,' &c.; see the same use of the preposition here used. Acts 
25 : 20. Luke 12 : 21, &c. &c. But was strong in faith, giving glory to 
God, that is, giving God credit for veracity and power, influenced by a 
reverential conviction of the truth and ability of him who had given the 
promise. To give glory to God is to feel and act in a manner becoming 
the divine character, see 1 Sam. 6:5; and also in such a way as to 
cause him to be honoured by others. Josh. 7 : 19, &c. &c. To believe 
the divine declarations is, therefore, the highest honour we can render 
God, and to disbelieve them is a great offence to the divine majesty; 
compare 1 John 5: 10. 

(21) Jlnd being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able 
also to perform. This verse is an amplification and explanation of the 

* The fact that Abraham, many years after the promise of the birth of Isaac, 
had several children by Keturah, can create no difficulty, as the effect of the divine 
power doubtless remained. 

i2 



102 ROMANS 4: 18—25. 

last clause of the preceding one. He gave glory to God by being fully 
persuaded that he was able to perform his pronaise. The ground of 
Abraham's confidence, therefore, was not the nature of the thing promised, 
no]C,the facility of its attainment, but the divine character and attributes. 

(22) Therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. The it of 
course refers to the extraordinary faith spoken of above. It was im- 
puted to him in order to his being regarded and treated as righteous ; 
see above on v. 3. 

(23) Now it was not written for his saJce alone that it was imputed to 
him. This and the following verses contain the application of the case 
of Abraham to our instruction. Paul says that the record concerning the 
justification of Abraham was not made merely that we might know thai 
he was a righteous man ; or as though justification by faith were some- 
thing peculiar to him. 

(24) JBat for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe, &c. 
The fact that faith was imputed to Abraham for his justification was 
placed on record that we might learn the true method of justification. 
As all men are sinners, and consequently stand in the same relation to 
God, the method in which he justifies one is the same as that in which 
he justifies all ; see 3 : 9, 23. The object of our faith is described as 
God that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. The object of Abra- 
ham's faith was the Almighty and Omniscient God, who had promised 
to raise up to him a seed in whom all the nations of the earth should be 
blessed. The object of our faith is this same God considered as recog- 
nising Jesus our Lord to be this long-promised seed and deliverer, by 
raising him from the dead. 

When we are said to believe in God who raised up Christ, it of course 
implies that we believe that Christ was thus raised up. As the resur- 
rection of Christ was the great decisive evidence of the divinity of his 
mission, and the validity of all his claims, to believe that he rose from 
the dead is to believe he was the Son of God, the propitiation foi 
our sins, the Redeemer and the Lord of men ; that he was all he claimed 
to be, and had accomplished all he purposed to effect ; compare Rom. 
10 : 9. Acts 1 : 22. 4 : 33. 1 Cor. 15, and other passages, in which the re- 
surrection of Christ is spoken of as the corner-stone of the gospel, as the 
great fact to be proved, and which, being proved, involves all the rest. 

(25) Who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our 
justification. This verse is a comprehensive statement of the gospel 
Christ was delivered unto death for our offences, i. e. on account of them, 
and for their expiation ; see Isa. 53 : 5, 6. Heb. 9 : 28. 1 Pet. 2 : 24. 
This delivering of Christ is ascribed to God, Rom. 8 : 32, and else- 
where ; and to himself. Tit. 2 : 14. Gal. 1:4. It was by the divine 
purpose and counsel he suffered for the expiation of sin ; and he gave 
himself willingly to death. " He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, 
and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.'* 

And loas raised again for our justification^ i. e. that we might be jus- 



ROMANS 4: 18—25. 103 

tified. The resurrection of Christ was necessary for our justification, 
inasmuch as it was the formal acceptance of his sufferings, as the expia- 
tion for our sins. Had he not risen we should be yet under condemna- 
tion, 1 Cor. 15 : 17. But as he rose from the dead, he was accepted of 
the Father, and appeared as the first-fruits, i. e. the forerunner and pledge 
of the resurrection, and complete salvation of all his people. In the 
epistle to the Hebrews the apostle presents this idea under another form. 
As it was necessary, on the great day of atonement, that the high priest 
should not only slay the victim at the altar, but enter into the most holy 
place, and sprinkle the blood upon the mercy-seat; so our High Priest, 
having suffered in the outer court, has passed into the heavens with his 
own blood, there to appear for our justification ; that is, to secure for us 
the continued application of the merits of his death. Either, therefore, 
as the evidence of the acceptance of his sufferings as our substitute, or 
as a necessary step towards securing the application of their merit to our 
benefit, the resurrection of Christ was essential to our justification. 

bOCTRINES. 

1. Faith is an operative assent to the divine testimony, not the recep- 
tion of truth, as something which can be proved by our own arguments, 
vs. 18, 20. 

2. When faith is genuine it is founded on correct apprehensions of the 
divine character, and has a controlling influence over the heart and life, 
vs. 20, 21. 

3. The method of salvation has never been changed ; Abraham was 
not only saved by faith, but the object of his faith was the same as the 
object of ours, vs. 24, 17. 

4. The resurrection of Christ, as an historical fact, established by the 
most satisfactory evidence (see 1 Cor. 15), authenticates the whole gos- 
pel. As surely as Christ has risen, so surely shall believers be saved, 
V. 25. 

REMARKS. 

1. The true way to have our faith strengthened is not to consider the 
difficulties in the way of the thing promised, but the character and re- 
sources of God who has made the promise, v. 19. 

2. It is as possible for faith to be strong when the thing promised is 
most improbable as when it is probable. Abraham's faith should serve 
as an example and admonition to us. He believed that a Saviour would 
be born from his family when his having a son was an apparent impossi- 
bility. We are only called upon to believe that the Saviour has been 
born, has suffered and risen again from the dead : facts established on 
the strongest historical evidence, vs. 20, 24, 25. 

3. Unbelief is a very great sin, as it implies a doubt of the veracity and 
power of God, vs. 20, 21. 

4. All that is written in the Scriptures is for our instruction. What is 



104 ROMANS 5: 1—11. 

promised, commanded or threatened (unless of a strictly personal nature) 
although addressed originally to individuals, belongs to them only as re- 
presentatives of classes of men, and is designed for all of similar character 
and in similar circumstances, v. 23. 

5. The two great truths of the gospel are, that Christ died as a sacri- 
fice for our sins, and that he rose again for our justification. Whosoever, 
from the heart, believes these truths shall be saved, v. 25. Rom. 10:9. 

6. The denial of the propitiatory death of Christ, or of his resurrection 
from the dead, is a denial of the gospel. It is a refusing to be saved 
according to the method w^hich God has appointed, v. 25. 



CHAPTER V. 

CONTENTS. 

From verse 1 to 11 inclusive, the apostle deduces some of the more 
obvious and consolatory inferences from the doctrine of gratuitous justi- 
fication. From the 12th verse to the end, he illustrates his great princi- 
ple of the imputation of righteousness, or the regarding and treating " the 
many" as righteous, on account of the righteousness of one man Christ 
Jesus, by a reference to the fall of all men in Adam. 

CHAP. 5: 1—11. 

^Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through 
our Lord Jesus Christ: ^by v/hom also we have access by faith into this 
grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ^^nd. 
not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation 
worketh patience ; %nd patience, experience ; and experience, hope : 
^and hope maketh not ashamed ; because the love of God is shed abroad 
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. ^por when we 
were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ^For 
scarcely for a righteous man will one die : yet peradventure for a good 
man some would even dare to die. ®But God comraendeth his love 
towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ^Much 
more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved frora 
wrath through him. ^°For if, when we were enemies, we were recon- 
ciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we 
shall be saved by his life. "And not only so, but we also joy in God 
through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the 
atonement. 

ANALYSIS. 

The first consequence of justification by faith is, that we have peace 
with God, V. 1. The second, that we have ready access to his presence, 



ROMANS 5: 1—11. 105 

a sense of his present favour and assurance of future glory, v. 3. The 
third, that our afflictions, instead of being inconsistent with the divint 
favour, are made directly conducive to the confirmation of our hope ; tht 
Holy Spirit bearing witness to the fact that we am the objects of the 
love of God, vs. 3 — 5. The fourth, the certainty of the final salvatioh 
of all believers. This is argued from the freeness and greatness of the 
divine love. Its freeness being manifested in its excercise towards the 
unworthy; and its greatness in the gift of the Son of God, vs. 6 — 10. 
Salvation is not merely a future though certain good ; it is a present and 
abundant joy, v. 11. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) Therefore being justified by faith, tue have peace with God, that 
is, we are reconciled to God. We are no longer the objects of the divine 
displeasure, his favour having been propitiated by the death of his Son, 
V. 10. As a consequence of this reconciliation, we have conscious peace 
with God, that is, we have neither any longer the present upbraidings of 
an unappeased conscience, nor the dread of divine vengeance. Both of 
these ideas are included in the peace here spoken of. It is peculiarly an 
evangelical doctrine, that pious affections are the fruit of this reconcilia- 
tion to God, and not the cause of it. Paul says this peace is the result 
of justification by faith. He who relies on his works for justification can 
have no peace. He can neither remove the displeasure of God, nor quiet 
the apprehension of punishment. Peace is not the result of mere gratu- 
itous forgiveness, but of justification, of a reconciliation founded upon 
atonement. The enlightened conscience is never satisfied until it sees 
that God can be just in justifying the ungodly ; that sin has been punish- 
ed, the justice of God satisfied, his law honoured and vindicated. It is 
when he thus sees justice and mercy embracing each other, that the 
believer has that peace which passes all understanding; that sweet quiet 
of the soul in which deep humility, in view of personal unworthiness, is 
mingled with the warmest gratitude to that Saviour by whose blood God's 
justice has been satisfied and conscience appeased. Hence, Paul says 
we have this peace through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not through 
ourselves in any way, neither by our own merit nor our own efforts. It 
is all of grace. It is all through Jesus Christ. And this the justified 
soul is ever anxious to acknowledge. 

(2) Bi/ whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we 
stand, &c. It would seem obvious, from the use of the word also, that 
this verse expresses a distinct idea from the preceding. The most com- 
mon and natural construction of this passage is to connect the word 
grace with access, i. e. " access into this grace." Grace, then, or favour 
expresses the same idea as peace with God, in the preceding verse ; and 
the difference between the two verses is to be found in the word access 
or introduction. The meaning then is, ' We are not only indebted to Jesus 
Christ for peace with God, but also for our introduction into this state 



106 ROMANS 5: 1—11. 

of favour;' which includes, of course, liberty of access to God. Where 
in lue stand, i. e. which we now possess or enjoy. Or the phrase may 
be taken in a forensic sense, as in Ps. 1 : 5. 130 : 3, 'In which state of 
grace we stand acquitted or justified.' The word wherein must refer to 
grace, the immediate antecedent, and not to faith, the more remote one. 
The figurative language here used is peculiarly expressive and appropri- 
ate. As those only who were in the favour of ancient monarchs could 
freely approach them, and even such had generally to be led forward by 
an ' introducer ;' so Christ, our introducer, secures access for us into the 
favour and presence of God. We come not of ourselves, but, abashed 
and humbled, are led along by our kind mediator. 

Jlnd rejoice in hope of the glory of God. There are two benefits 
specified in this verse. The first, our present introduction into a state 
of favour and free access to God ; and the second, the joyful hope of the 
glory of God, that is, the glory of which God is the author. The word 
glory is often used in reference to future blessedness, to show that the 
happiness to be enjoyed hereafter is connected with the exaltation of all 
our powers, and of our sphere of activity. 

(3) £nd not only so, hut we glory in tribulations also. Not only 
have we this introduction into the divine favour, and this hope of future 
glory, but we glory in tribulations also. Since our relation to God is 
changed, the relation of all things to us is changed. Afllictions, which 
before were the expressions of God's displeasure, are now the bene- 
volent and beneficent manifestations of his love. And, instead of 
being inconsistent with our filial relation to him, they serve to prove 
that he regards and loves us as his children ; Rom. 8 : 18. Heb. 12 : 
6. Tribulations, therefore, although for the present they are not 
joyous but grievous, become to the believer matter of joy and thank- 
fulness. The way in which afflictions become thus useful, and con- 
sequently the ground of rejoicing, the apostle immediately explains. 
They give occasion for the exercise of the Christian graces, and these, 
from their nature, produce hope, which is sustained and authenticated by 
the witness of the Holy Spirit. Tribulation worketh patience. The 
word rendered pa^2e7ice signifies ?i\&o constancy, perseverance. Tribula- 
tion gives occasion to exercise and manifest a patient and persevering 
adherence to truth and duty under trials. 

(4) And patience, experience ; and experience, hope. The word trans- 
lated experience mezTis properly, 1. Trial or experiment. 2 Cor. 8: 2, 
" Great trial of affliction," i. e. trial made by affliction. 2. It means the 
result of such trial, evidence, experience. 3. By another remove, thai 
ivhich has been tested and approved. As one or the other of these signi- 
fications is adopted, the clause is variously interpreted. It may mean, 
' The endurance of afflictions leads to the trying or testing of one's own 
heart;' or 'It occasions the experience of the divine goodness, or of gra- 
cious exercises;' or 'It produces a state of mind which is the object of 
approbation ;' or ' It produces evidence, viz. of a gracious state.' This 



ROMANS 5: 1—11. 107 

last seems most consistent with Paul's use of the word ; see 2 Cor. 2 : 9, 
"That I may know the proof (evidence) of you; whether ye be obe- 
dient," &c.; Phil. 2: 22, "Ye know the proof of him," &c. This 
sense suits the context also. ' Tribulation calls forth the exercise of pa- 
tience ; and the exercise of this patience or constancy affords evidence 
of our being in the favour of God, and therefore produces hope.' 

(5) And hope maketh not ashamed. The hope which true believers 
entertain, founded on the very nature of pious exercises, shall never dis- 
appoint them, Ps. 22 : 5. The ground of this assurance, however, is not 
the strength of our purpose, or confidence in our own goodness, but the 
love of God. The latter clause of the verse assigns the reason why the 
Christian's hope shall not be found delusive ; it is because the love of 
God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost given unto us. 
' The love of God' is his love to us, and not ours to him, as appears from 
the following verses, in which the apostle illustrates the greatness and 
freeness of this love by a reference to the unworthiness of its objects. 
To shed abroad is to communicate abundantly, and hence to evince 
clearly. Acts 2 : 17. 10 : 45. Tit. 3 : 6. This manifestation of divine 
love is not any external revelation of it in the works of providence, or 
even in redemption, but it is in our hearts. And this inward persuasion 
that we are the objects of the love of God is not the mere result of the 
examination of evidence, nor is it a vain illusion, but it is produced by 
the Holy Ghost. " The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits that 
we are the children of God," Rom. 8:16. 2 Cor. 1 : 21, 22. Eph. 1 : 14. 
As, however, the Spirit never contradicts himself, he never bears wit- 
ness that " the children of the devil" are the children of God ; that is, 
that the unholy, the disobedient, the proud, or malicious, are the objects 
of the divine favour. Any reference, therefore, by the immoral, to the 
witness of the Spirit in their favour must be vain and delusive. 

(6) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died 
for the ungodly. This and the following verses to the 11th contain an 
illustration of the freeness and greatness of the love of God, designed to 
prove the certainty of the salvation of believers. The for either con- 
nects this verse with the close of the fifth, as introducing the illustra- 
tion of the love there spoken of; or the logical connexion is with the 
declaration of the 2d, " we rejoice in hope of the glory of God ;" and of 
the 5th, "hope maketh not ashamed." This latter, from the context of 
the passage, seems the more natural. When we were without strength, 
or weak. The word thus translated may mean destitute of resources or 
miserable ; see Prov. 22 : 22. 31 : 5, 9, where the Greek word used by 
Paul is used in this sense by the LXX. Or it may mean morally weak, 
i. e. wicked. In favour of this latter interpretation is the context. The 
weak are the ungodly of this verse, and the sinners of verse 8. It is 
probable both ideas were in the apostle's mind, and that he intended to 
express, by the word, the weakness and misery consequent on sin, or 
our helplessness as sinners. In due' time, i.e. at the appointed and 



108 ROMANS 5: 1— 11. 

appropriate time ; see Job 5 : 2G. Isa. 60 : 22. Mark 1:15. Gal. 4 : 4. 
Christ died for the ungodly. The preposition rendered for^ in such 
connexions, signifies not merely for the benefit of but in the place of. 
This appears to be its meaning in v. 7, which fixes its meaning here; 
compare Matt. 20 : 28, " To give his life a ransom for many." with 
1 Tim. 2:6, " Who gave himself a ransom for all." Christ died not 
merely /or us, but in our place; his suffering being substituted for ours. 
This gift of the Son of God, to die for the ungodly, is the highest 
conceivable proof of his love. 

(7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure 
for a good man some would even dare to die. The greatness and free- 
ness of the love of God is illustrated in this and the following verse, by 
making still more prominent the unworthiness of its objects. ' It is 
hardly to be expected that any one would die in the place of a merely 
righteous man, though for a good man this self-denial might possibly bo 
exercised. But we, so far from being good, were not even righteous; 
we were sinners, ungodly, and enemies.' The difference between the 
words righteous ^nd good, as here used, is that which, in common usage, 
is made between just and kind. The former is applied to a man who 
does all that the law or justice can demand of him, the latter to him who 
is governed by love. The just man commands respect; the good man 
calls forth affection. Respect being a cold and feeble principle, com- 
pared to love, the sacrifices to which it leads are comparatively slight. 

(8) But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were 
yet sinners, Christ died for us. ' Commendeth,' i. e. renders conspicu- 
ous ; see 3 : 5. What renders the love of God so peculiarly conspicuous 
is his sending his Son to die, not for the good, nor even for the righteous, 
but for sinners, for those who were deserving of wrath instead of love. 
The word sinners expresses the idea of moral turpitude, and consequent 
exposure to the divine displeasure. It was for or in the place of those 
who were at once corrupt, and the enemies of God, that Christ died. 

(9) Much viore, then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be 
saved from wrath through him. This and the following verse draw the 
obvious inference from the freeness and greatness of the love of God, as 
just exhibited, that believers shall be ultimately saved. It is an argu- 
ment a fortiori. If the greater benefit has been bestowed, the less will 
not be withheld. If Christ has died for his enemies, he will surely save 
his friends. Being justified. To be justified is more than to be par- 
doned; it includes the idea of reconciliation or restoration to the favour 
of God, and the participation of the consequent blessings. This idea 
is prominently presented in the following verse. We are justified by his 
blood. This expression, as remarked above (ch. 4 : 3), exhibits the true 
ground of our acceptance with God. It is not our works, nor our faith, 
nor our new obedience, nor the work of Christ in us, but what he has 
done for us ; ch. 3 : 25. Eph. 2 : 13. Heb. 9 : 12. Having by the death 
of Christ been brought into the relation of peace with God, being now 



ROMANS 5: 1—11. 109 

regarded for his sake as righteous, we shall he saved from wrath through 
him. He will not leave his work unfinished ; whom he justifies them 
he also glorifies. The word wrath^ of course, means the effects of wrath 
or punishment, those sufferings with which the divine displeasure visits 
sm ; Matt. 3 : 7. 1 Thess. 1 : 10. Rom. 1 : 18. Not only is our justifi- 
cation to be ascribed to Christ, but our salvation is through him. Salva- 
tion, in a general sense, includes justification, but when distinguished 
from it, as in this case, it means the consummation of that work of which 
justification is the commencement. It is a preservation from all the 
causes of destruction ; a deliverance from the evils which surround us 
here, or threaten us hereafter ; and an introduction into the blessedness of 
heaven. • Christ thus saves us by his providence and Spirit, and by his 
constant intercession, ch. 8 : 34. Heb. 4: 14, 15. 7: 25. Jude v. 24. 1 
John 2: 1. 

(10) For if when loe were yet enemies, ive were reconciled unto 
God hy the death of his Son, &c. This verse contains nearly the same 
idea as v. 9, presented in a different form. The word enemies is applied 
to men not only as descriptive of their moral character, but also of the 
relation in which they stand to God, as the objects of his displeasure. 
There is not only a wicked opposition of the sinner to God, but a holy 
opposition of God to the sinner. The preceding verse presents the former 
of these ideas, and this verse the latter most prominently. There it is 
said, though sinners, we are justified ; and here, though enemies, we are 
reconciled. And this is the principal difference between the two verses. 
To be reconciled to God, in such connexions, does not mean to have our 
enmity to God removed, but his enmity to us taken out of the way; to 
have him rendered propitious, or his righteous justice satisfied. This is 
evident, 1. Because the reconciliation is ascribed to the death of Christ 
or his blood, v. 9. But, according to the constant representations of 
Scripture, the death of Christ is a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, or to 
propitiate the favour of God, and not immediately a means of sanctifica- 
tion. The former is its direct object : the latter an incidental result. 
This is the very idea of a sacrifice. 2. The object of the verse is to pre- 
sent us as enemies, or the objects of God's displeasure. ' If while wc 
were the objects of the divine displeasure,' says the apostle, 'that dis 
pleasure has been removed, or God propitiated by the death of his Son, 
how much more shall we be saved,' &c. That is, if God has been recon 
ciled to us, he will save us. 3. This is the proper meaning of the word^ 
2 Cor. 5 : 18, 19. See also Matt. 5 : 24, " First go and be reconciled to 
thy brother," i. e. go and appease his anger, or remove the ground of hij? 
displeasure ; compare Heb. 2 : 17, " He is a priest to make reconciliation 
for the sins of the people." It is the appropriate business of a priest to 
propitiate God, and not to reform men. See also 1 Sam. 29 : 4, " Whero^ 
with should he reconcile himself to his master? should it not be with the 
heads of these men 1" Eph. 2 : 16, " That he might reconcile both unto 
God by the cross," not remove their enmity to God, but secure for them 

K 



no ROMANS 5: 1—11. 

his favour and access to the Father, v. 18. 4. The context obviously 
requires this sense here. " Being- reconciled by the death of his Son," 
evidently corresponds to the phrase " Being justified by his blood;" the 
latter cannot mean that our feelings towards God are changed, but is ad- 
mitted to express the idea that we are forgiven and restored to the divine 
favour. Such, therefore, must be the meaning of the former. Besides, 
it is the object of the apostle to illustrate the greatness and freeness of 
the love of God from the unworthiness of its objects. While sinners, 
we are justified; while enemies, we are reconciled. To make the pas- 
sage mean, that when enemies, we laid aside our enmity and became the 
friends of God, would be to make it contradict the very assertion and 
design of the apostle. 

We shall be saved hy his life. This rather unusual mode of expression 
was doubtless adopted for the sake of its correspondence to the words hy 
his death in the preceding clause ; and is a striking example of Paul's 
fondness for such antithetical constructions ; see ch. 4 : 25. Gal. 3 : 3. 
2 Cor. 3 : 6. The meaning is obvious. ' If while we were enemies, we 
were restored to the favour of God by the death of his Son ; the fact that 
he lives will certainly secure our final salvation.' 1. His life is a pledge 
and security for the life of all his people ; see .Tohn 14 : 19, " Because I 
live, ye shall live also ;" Rom. 8:11. 1 Cor. 15: 23. 2. He is able to 
save to the uttermost, " because he ever lives to make intercession for 
us ;" Heb. 7 : 25, &c. &c. 3. At his resurrection all power in heaven 
and earth was committed to his hands. Matt. 28 : 18 ; and this power he 
exercises for the salvation of his people ; Eph. 1 : 22, ' He is head ovei 
all things for the benefit of his church ;' Rev. 1 : 18. Heb. 2 : 9. 1 Cor. 
15 : 25, &c. &c. ; see also the passages cited on the last clause of v. 9. 
There is, therefore most abundant ground for confidence for the final 
blessedness of believers, not only in the amazing love of God by which, 
though sinners and enemies, they have been justified and reconciled by 
the death of his Son, but also in the consideration that this same Saviour 
that died for them still lives, and ever lives to sanctify, protect, and save 
them. 

(11) Not only so^ hut we also joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christy 
&c. That is, ' Not only are we secure of future salvation, but we now 
rejoice in God as our reconciled Father and portion.' This includes all 
other good. If God be for us, who can be against usl If we have the 
infinite fountain of blessedness, it matters little what streams may fail. 
Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul never forgets to acknowledge that 
all the blessings of redemption are through Jesus Christ ; not only recon- 
ciliation and salvation, but present joyful intercourse with God, Heb. 
4: 16. 

By whom we have now received the atonement, or reconciliation, as the 
Greek word here used is always elsewhere rendered, Rom. 11 : 15. 
2 Cor. 5: 18, 19, and in which sense our translators probably used the 
word atonement. To reoive reconciliation and to be reconciled, are, of 



ROMANS 5: l—ll. Ill 

course, synonymous expressions. This clause, therefore, is but a repeti 
tion of verse 10, 'We rejoice in God through Jesus Christ, by whom, 
i. e. by whose death, we have been restored to the divine favour.' Paul 
says we have now received reconciliation ; because reconciliation is a 
present good, and pledge of future blessedness. " If children, then 
heirs," Rom. 8 : 17. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. Peace with God is the result of that system of religion alone, 
which, by providing at once for the satisfaction of divine justice and the 
sanctification of the human heart, is suited to the character of God and 
the nature of man. All history shows that no system other than the 
gospel has ever produced this peace, v. 1. 

2. All the peculiar blessings of redemption are inseparably connected 
and grow out of each other. Those who are justified have peace with 
God, access to his presence, joy under the most adverse circumstances, 
assurance of God's love, and certainty of final salvation ; see the whole 
section, and compare ch. 3 : 30. 

3. The Holy Ghost has intimate access to the human soul, controlling 
its exercises, exciting its emotions, and leading it into the knowledge 
of the truth, v. 5. 

4. The assurance of hope is founded on the consciousness of pious 
affections, and the witness of the Holy Spirit ; and is a grace to which 
believers may and ought to attain, vs. 4, 5. 

5. The perseverance of the saints is to be attributed not to the strength 
of their love to God, nor to any thing else in themselves, but solely to the 
free and infinite love of God in Christ Jesus. The praise is, therefore, 
no more due to them, than commendation to a helpless infant for its 
mother's sleepless care. " Can a woman forget her sucking child," &c. 
vs. 6—10. 

6. Redemption is not by truth or moral influence, but by blood, vs. 
9, 10. 

7. The primary object of the death of Christ was to render God propi- 
tious, to satisfy his justice ; and not to influence human conduct, or dis- 
play the divine character for the sake of the moral effect of that exhibi- 
tion. Among its infinitely diversified results, all of which were designed, 
some of the most important, no doubt, are the sanctification of men, the 
display of the divine perfections, the prevention of sin, the happiness of 
the universe, &c. &c. But the object of a sacrifice, as such, is to propi- 
tiate, vs. 9, 10. Heb. 2 : 17. 

8. All we have or hope for, we owe to Jesus Christ; peace, commu- 
nion with God, joy, hope, eternal life; see the whole section, and the 
whole Bible. 

REMARKS. 

1. If we are the genuine children of God, we have peace of conscience 
a sense of God's favour, and freedom of access to his throne. We endure 



112 ROMANS 3: 12—21. 

afflictions with patience. Instead of making us distrustful of our heavenly 
Father, they afford us new proofs of his love, and strengthen our hope of 
his mercy. And we shall have also, more or less of the assurance of 
God's love by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, vs. 1 — 5. 

2. None of these fruits of reconciliation with God can be obtained 
until the spirit of self-righteousness and self-dependence is removed. 
They are secured through faith, and by Christ Jesus, and not by our own 
works or merit, v. 1, &c. 

3. The hope of the hypocrite is like a spider's web; the hope of the 
believer is an anchor to his soul, sure and steadfast, v. 5. 

4. Assurance of the love of God never produces self-complacency or 
pride; but always humility, self-abasement, wonder, gratitude and 
praise. The believer sees that the mysterious fountain of this love is in 
the divine mind ; it is not in himself who is ungodly and a sinner, vs. 
8—10. 

5. As the love of God in the gift of his Son, and the love of Christ in 
dying for us, are the peculiar characteristics of the gospel, no one can be 
a true Christian, on whom these truths do not exert a governing influence, 
vs. 9:10; compare 2 Cor. 5 : 14. 

6. True religion is joyful, vs. 2, 11. 

CHAP. 5: 12—21. 

^^Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by 
sin ; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned : ^^(for 
until the law sin was in the world : but sin is not imputed when there is 
no law. ^^Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over 
them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, 
who is the figure of him that was to come. ^^But not as the offence, so 
also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, 
much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, 
Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. ^^And not as it luas by one 
that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment w^as by one to condemna- 
tion, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. ^^For if by 
one man's offence death reigned by one ; much more they which receive 
abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by 
one, Jesus Christ.) ^^Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came 
upon all men to condemnation ; even so by the righteousness of one the 
free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. ^^Por as by one 
man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one 
shall many be made righteous. ^"Moreover the law entered, that the 
offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much 
more abound : ^^that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might 
grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 113 

ANALYSIS. 

1. Scope of the passage. The design of this section is the illustration 
of the doctrine of the justification of sinners on the ground of the right- 
eousness of Christ, by a reference to the condemnation of men for the 
sin of Adam. That such is its design, is evident, 1. From the context. 
Paul has been engaged from the beginning of the epistle in inculcating 
one main idea, viz. that the ground of the sinner's acceptance with God 
is not in himself, but the merit of Christ. And in the preceding verses 
he had said, " we are justified by his blood," v. 9 ; by his death we are 
restored to the divine favour, v. 10; and through him, i. e. by one man, 
we have received reconciliation, that is, are pardoned and justified, v. 11. 
As this idea of men's being regarded and treated not according to their 
own merit, but the merit of another, is contrary to the common mode of 
thinking among men, and, especially, contrary to their self-righteous 
efforts to obtain the divine favour, the apostle illustrates and enforces it 
by an appeal to the great analogous fact in the history of the world. 
2. From an inspection of vs. 12, 18, 19, which contain the whole point 
and substance of the comparison. The verses 13 — 17 are virtually a 
parenthesis; and verses 20, 21, contain two remarks, merely incidental 
to the discussion. The verses 12, 18, 19, must, therefore, contain the 
main idea of the passage. In the 12th, only one side of the comparison 
is stated ; but in vs. 18, 19, it is resumed and carried out. ' As by the 
oflfence of one all are condemned, so by the righteousness of one all are 
justified.' This, almost in the words of the apostle, is the simple mean- 
ing of vs. 18, 19, and makes the point of the comparison and scope of 
the passage peculiarly clear. 3. The design of the passage must be 
that on which all its parts bear, the point towards which they all con- 
verge. The course of the argument, as wull appear in the sequel, bears 
so uniformly and lucidly on the point just stated, that the attempt to make 
it bear on any other involves the whole passage in confusion. All that 
the apostle says tends to the illustration of his declaration, ' as we are 
condemned on account of what Adam did, we are justified on account of 
what Christ did.' The illustration of this point, therefore, must be the 
design and scope of the whole. 

2. The connexion. The design of the passage being the illustration of 
the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ, previously 
established ; the connexion is natural and obvious. ' Wherefore as by 
one man we have been brought under condemnation, so by one man we 
are brought into a state of justification and life.' The wherefore 
is consequently to be taken as illative, or marking an inference from 
the whole of the previous part of the epistle, and especially from the pre- 
ceding verses. ' Wherefore we are justified by the righteousness of one 
man; even as we were brought into condemnation by the sin of one 
man.' 

3. The course of the argument. As the point to be illustrated is the justi- 
fication of sinners on the ground of the righteousness of Christ, and the 

k2 



114 ROMANS 5; 12—21. 

source of illustration is the fall of all men in Adam, thepassage begins 
with a statement of this latter truth. ' As on account of one man, death 
has passed on all men ; so on account of one,' &c. v. 12. 

Before, however, carrying out the comparison, the apostle stops tc 
establish his position, that all men are regarded and treated as sinners on 
account of Adam. His proof is this. The infliction of a penalty implies 
the transgression of a law ; since sin is not imputed where there is no law, 
V. 13. 

All mankind are subject to death or penal evils ; therefore all men are 
regarded as transgressors of a law, v. 13. 

This law or covenant, which brings death on all men, is not the law 
of Moses, because multitudes died before that was given, v. 14. 

Nor is it the law of nature written upon the heart, since multitudes die 
who have never violated even that law, v. 14. 

Therefore, as neither of these laws is sufficiently extensive to embrace 
all the subjects of the penalty, we must conclude that men are subject to 
death on account of Adam ; that is, it is for the offence of one that many 
die, vs. 13, 14. 

Adam is, therefore, a type of Christ. As to this important point, there 
is a striking analogy between the fall and redemption. We are con- 
demned in Adam, and we are justified in Christ. But the cases are not 
completely parallel. In the first place, the former dispensation is much 
more mysterious than the latter; for if by the offence of one many die, 
MUCH MORE by the righteousness of one shall many live, v. 15. 

In the second place, the benefits of the one dispensation far exceed the 
evils of the other. For the condemnation was for one offence ; the justi- 
fication is from many. Christ saves us from much more than the guilt 
of Adam's sin, v. 16. 

In the third place, Christ not only saves us from death, that is, not 
only frees us from the evils consequent on our own and Adam's sin, but 
introduces us into a state of positive and eternal blessedness, v. 17. Or 
this verse may be considered as an amplification of the sentiment of 
V. 15. 

Having thus limited and illustrated the analogy between Adam and 
Christ, the apostle resumes and carries the comparison fully out, ' There- 
fore, as on account of one man all men are condemned ; so on account 
of one all are justified, v. 18. For as through the disobedience of one 
many are regarded and treated as sinners ; so through the righteousness 
of one many are regarded and treated as righteous,' v. 19. This, then, 
is the sense of the passage, men are condemned for the sin of one man, 
and justified for the righteousness of another. 

If men are thus justified by the obedience of Christ, for what purpose 
is the law ? It entered that sin might abound, i. e. that men might see 
how much it abounded ; since by the law is the knowledge of sin. The 
law has its use, although men are not justified by their own obedience to 
it, V. 20. 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 115 

As the law discloses, and even ag-gravates the dreadful triumphs of 
sin reigning, in union with death, over the human family, the gospel dis- 
plays the far more effectual and extensive triumphs of grace through 
Jesus Christ our Lord, v. 21. 

According to this view of the passage, it consists of five parts. 

The first, contained in v. 12, presents the first member of the compari- 
son between Christ and Adam. 

The second contains the proof of the position assumed in the 12th 
verse, and embraces vs. 13, 14, which are therefore subordinate to v. 12. 
Sdam, therefore^ is a type of Christ. 

The third, embracing vs. 15, 16, 17, is a commentary on this declara- 
tion, by which it is at once illustrated and limited'. 

The fourth, in vs. 18, 19, resumes and carries out the comparison com- 
menced in V. 12. • 

The fifth forms the conclusion of the chapter, and contains a statement 
of the design and effect of the law, and of the results of the gospel sug- 
gested by the preceding comparison, vs. 20, 21. 

COMMENTARY. 

(12) Wherefore, as hy one rtian sin entered into the world, and death 
hy sin, &c. The force of wherefore has already been pointed out, when 
speaking of the connexion of this passage with the preceding. ' It fol« 
lows from what had been said of the method of justification, that as by- 
one man,' &c. It indicates the point towards which the whole discus- 
sion, from the commencement of the epistle, tends, and the grand conclu- 
sion from all the apostle's reasoning. £s by one man. The word as 
obviously indicates a comparison between the case of Adam and some- 
thing else. Since, however, the other part of the comparison is not im- 
mediately stated, various explanations of this verse have been proposed. 
It is, however, so obvious, that the comparison here commenced is 
resumed and stated in full, in vs. 18, 19,, that the great body of com- 
mentators consider the verses 13 — 17 as a parenthesis, designed for the 
confirmation and illustration of the statement in v. 12. Thus, too, the 
passage is pointed in our common English version. 

By one man sin entered into the world, i.e. one man was the cause of 
all men's becoming sinners. To make these words mean nothing more 
than that sin commenced with Adam, that he was the first sinner, is ob- 
viously inconsistent with the force of the words by one man, and with 
the whole context and design of the passage. See the expressions 
" through the offence of one," v. 15 ; " the judgment was by one," v. 16 ; 
»' by one man's offence," v. 17 ; " by the offence of one judgment came," 
V. 18; "by one man's disobedience," v. 19. These expressions, so 
clearly parallel with the declaration " By one man sin entered into the 
world," make it too plain to admit of doubt that the clause before us ex- 
presses the idea that Adam was the cause of all men's becoming sinners, 
and not merely that sin began with him, or that he was the first sinner. 



116 ROMANS 5; 12—21. 

This is rendered, if possible, still more obvious by the constant contrast 
or comparison, through the whole passage, of Adam and Christ ; hy one 
man came sin ; hy one man came righteousness ; hy the offence of one 
came death ; 6y the righteousness of the other came life ; &c.&c. That 
Adam was the cause of sin and death is, therefore, as clearly expressed 
as that Christ is the cause of righteousness and life. The words sin en- 
tered into the world have been variously explained. 1. Many of the 
older and also of the more modern commentators understand sin here to 
mean corruption. This clause would then mean, ' By one man all men 
became corrupt.' 2. Others take the word sin in its ordinary sense, and 
understanding the passage as teaching either that Adam was the cause or 
occasion of all men committing sin, or that sin commenced with him ; 
he was the first sinner. 3. Others again understand the declaration that 
through Adam sin entered into the world (i. e. that through him all men 
became sinners), to mean that on his account they were regarded and 
treated as sinners. 

It will hardly be denied that this expression must be understood in 
the same way with the obviously parallel phrase, " by one man's dis- 
obedience many were made sinners," in v. 19, and the corresponding 
ones in the other portions of the passage. It must also have the same 
meaning as the words "for all have sinned," at the close of this verse; 
and "sin was in the world," i. e. men were sinners, in v. 13. Which 
of the three interpretations, just stated, is to be preferred will, therefore, 
be most properly considered when we come to the last clause of the 
verse. It is probable that Paul meant to express, in the first instance, 
the general idea that all men fell in Adam ; which includes the idea both 
of the loss of holiness, and of subjection to the penal consequences of 
sin. It will appear, however, in the sequel, that the latter is altogether 
the more prominent idea ; and, consequently, that the third interpreta- 
tion expresses most accurately the true meaning of the passage. 

And death hy sin, i. e. sin was the cause of death. The death here 
spoken of is not mere natural death, but the penalty of the law, or the 
evils threatened as the punishment of sin. This is evident, 1. From 
the consideration that it is said to be the consequence of sin. It must, 
therefore, mean that death which the Scriptures, elsewhere, speak of as 
the consequence and punishment of transgression. 2. Because this is 
the common and favourite term with the sacred writers, from first to last, 
for the penal consequences of sin. Gen. 2 : 17, " In the day thou eatest 
thereof thou shalt surely die," i. e. thou shalt become subject to the pu- 
nishment due to sin ; Ezek. 18 : 4, " The soul that sinneth it shall die ;". 
Rom. 6 : 23, " The wages of sin is death ;" ch. 8 : 13, " If ye live after 
the flesh ye shall die." Such passages are altogether too numerous to 
be quoted, or even referred to; see, as further examples, Rom. 1 : 32. 
7: 5. James 1 : 15. Rev. 20: 14, &c. &c. 3. From the constant oppo- 
sition between the terms life and death throughout the Scriptures ; the 
former standing for the rewards of the righteous, the latter for tho 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 117 

punishment of the wicked. Thus, in Gen. 2 : 17, life was promised to our 
first parents as the reward of obedience ; and death threatened as the 
punishment of disobedience. See Deut. 30 : 15, " I have set before thee 
life and death;" Jer. 21 : 8. Prov. 11 : 19. Ps. 36: 9. Matt. 25: 46. 
John 3:15. 2 Cor. 2 : 16, &c. &c. 4. From the opposition in this pas- 
sage between the life which is by Christ, and the death which is by- 
Adam, vs. 15, 17, 21, ' Sin reigns unto death, grace reigns through right- 
eousness unto eternal life.' As, however, natural death is a part, and 
the most obvious part, of the penal evils of sin, it no doubt was promi- 
nent in the apostle's mind, as appears from vs. 13, 14. Death, therefore, 
in this passage, means the evil, and any evil which is inflicted in punish- 
ment of sin. The amount of this evil is diflferent, no doubt, in every 
different case of transgression. 

And so death passed on all men ,• that is, thus it is, or so it happened that 
death passed on all men. As death is the penalty of sin, and as by one 
man all became sinners, thus it was by one man that death passed on 
all men. The force of the words and so have indeed been much disputed. 
Many understand them as answering to the word as at the beginning of 
the verse, « As Adam sinned and died, so also do all men.' But in the 
first place the words do not admit of this interpretation. Paul does not 
say so also, but and so, thus it was. Besides, according to this view of 
the passage this verse does not contain the first part of a comparison 
between Adam and Christ, but merely a comparison between Adam and 
his posterity. It is evident, however, from vs. 18, 19, that the comparison 
is between Adam and Christ. In this interpretation the force of the 
words by one man is entirely overlooked. It is by one man that men 
became sinners ; and thus it was by one man that death passed upon all 
men. 

For that all have sinned. These words obviously assign the reason 
why all men are exposed to death. Instead of rendering the Grreek words 
£(p' 3) for that, the Latin version, and many of the older commentators and 
theologians, Arminians as well as Calvinists, translate them in whom. 
* By one man all men became sinners, and hence death passed upon all 
men, through that one man, in whom all sinned.' This, no doubt, is the 
true meaning of the whole verse. But it is not necessary, in order to 
defend this interpretation, to adopt the rendering in whom, against which 
there are strong philological objections ; especially the remoteness of 
the antecedent. Our common version, therefore, is to be preferred. * All 
die for that, or because that, all have sinned.' 

With regard to these important words, we meet with the three interpre- 
tations mentioned at the beginning of this verse. All men have personally 
and actually sinned. Then the sentiment of the verse is either, * As 
Adam sinned and died, so in like manner death has passed on all men, 
because all have sinned.' According to this view, the connexion of 
Adam's sin with the sin and death of his posterity is not stated, though 
it may be intimated by the peculiar form of the expressions. Or the 



118 ROMANS 5: 12—21. 

meaning is, ' As Adam was the cause or occasion of men becoming 
sinners, so death passed on all, since all have, in consequence of his obe- 
dience, been led into sin.' The objections to this interpretation will be 
presented in the sequel, in the form of arguments in favour of another 
view of the passage. According to the second interpretation, the words 
mean all have become corrupt. Then the sense of the verse is, * As by- 
Adam, sin (corruption of nature) was introduced into the world, and 
death as its consequence, and so death passed on all men, because all 
have become corrupt ; even so,' &c. The principal objections to this 
interpretation are, 1. It assigns a very unusual, if not an unexampled 
sense to the words. The word rendered have become corrupt, not occur- 
ring elsewhere with this signification. 2. It destroys the analogy between 
Christ and Adam. The point of the comparison is not, ' As Adam was 
the source of corruption, so is Christ of holiness ;' but, ' As Adam was 
the cause of our condemnation, so is Christ of our justification.' 3. It is 
inconsistent with the meaning of vs. 13, 14, which are designed to prove 
that the ground of the universality of death is the sin or offence of Adam. 
4. It would require us, in order to preserve any consistency in the pas- 
sage, to put an interpretation on vs. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, which they will 
not bear. Although the sentiment, therefore, is correct and scriptural, 
that we derive a corrupt nature from Adam, as it is also true that Christ 
is the author of holiness, yet these are not the truths which Paul is here 
immediately desirous of presenting. 

The third interpretation, therefore, according to which the words in 
question mean all men are regarded and treated as sinners, is to be pre- 
ferred. The verse then contains this idea, ' As by one man all men 
became sinners and exposed to death, and thus death passed on all men, 
since all sinned, i. e. are regarded as sinners on his account,' even so 
by one man, &c. The arguments in support of this interpretation are the 
following, "1. The word translated have sinned may in strict accordance 
with usage be rendered have become guilty, or, regarded and treated as 
sinners. Compare Gen. 44 : 32, " I shall bear the blame ;" literally, ' I 
shall have sinned ;' see also Gen. 43 : 9. 1 Kings 1 : 21. 2. It is almost 
uniformly admitted that v. 12 contains the first member of a comparison 
between Adam and Christ, which is resumed and carried out in vs. 18, 19. 
In these verses, however, the idea is clearly expressed ' that judgment 
came on all men on account of the offence of one man.' If these verses 
express the same idea with v. 12, we are forced to understand this verse 
as teaching not the acknowledged truth that all men are sinners, but that 
all are treated as sinners on account of one man. 3. This interpretation 
is demanded by the connexion between v. 12, and vs. 13, 14. These 
latter verses beginning with for are evidently designed to prove the 
assertion contained in v. 12. All men are regarded as sinners on account 
of the offence of one man, is the assertion of v. 12, for there is no other 
way of accounting for the universality of penal evils, is the reason as- 
signed in vs. 13, 14. 4. What v. 12 is thus made to assert, and vs. 13, 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 119 

14, to prove, is assumed as proved in vs. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. 5. This 
interpretation is required by the scope of the passage and the drift of the 
apostle's argument. The scope of the passage is to illustrate the doctrine 
of justification on the ground of the righteousness of Christ, by a refer- 
ence to the condemnation of men for the sin of Adam. The analogy is 
destroyed, and the point of the comparison fails, if any thing in us be 
assumed as the ground of the infliction of the penal evils of which the 
apostle is here speaking. That we have corrupt natures and are person- 
ally sinners, and therefore liable to other and further inflictions is indeed 
true, but nothing to the point. Not only does the scope of the passage 
demand this interpretation, but also the whole course of the argument. 
We die on account of Adam's sin, v. 12 ; this is true, because on no other 
ground can the universality oi death be accounted for, vs. 13, 14. But if 
we all die on Adam's account, how much more shall we live on account 
of Christ, V. 15. Adam indeed brings upon us the evil inflicted for the 
first great violation of the covenant, but Christ saves us from all our 
numberless sins, v. 16. As therefore, for the offence of one, we are 
condemned, so for the righteousness of one we are justified, v. 18. As 
on account of the disobedience of one we are treated as sinners, so on 
account of the obedience of one we are treated as righteous, v. 19. 

6. The doctrine which the verse thus explained teaches, is one of the 
plainest truths of all the scriptures and of experience. Is it not a revealed 
fact, above all contradiction, and sustained by the whole history of the 
world, that the sin of Adam altered the relation in which our race stood 
to God ? Did not that sin of itself, and independently of any thing in us, 
or done by us, bring evil on the world T In other words, did we not fall 
when Adam fell % If these questions are answered in the affirmative, the 
doctrine contained in the interpretation of v. 12, given above, is admitted. 

7. The doctrine of the imputation of Adam's sin, or, that on account 
of that sin, all men are regarded and treated as sinners, was a common 
Jewish doctrine at the time of the apostle, as well as at a later period. 
He employs the same mode of expression on the subject which the Jews 
were accustomed to use. They could not have failed, therefore, to un- 
derstand him as meaning to convey by these expressions the ideas usually 
connected with them. 

(13, 14) For until the law sin was in the world, &c. These verses are 
connected by for with v. 12, as introducing the proof of the declaration 
that death had passed on all men on account of one man. The proof is 
this : the infliction of penal evils implies the violation of law ; the vio- 
lation of the law of Moses will not account for the universality of death, 
because men died before that law was given. Neither is the violation 
of the law of nature sufficient to explain the fact that all men are subject 
to death, because even those die who have never broken that law. As, 
therefore, death supposes transgression, and neither the law of Moses 
nor the law of nature embraces all the victims of death, it follows that 



HiiHiill 



120 ROMANS 5: 12—21. 

men are subject to penal evils on account of the sin of Adam. It is for 
the offence of one that many die. 

In order to the proper understanding of the apostle's argument, it 
should be borne in mind that the term death stands for penal evil; not 
for this or that particular form of it, but for any and every evil judicially 
inflicted for the support of law. Paul's reasoning does not rest upon the 
mere fact that all men, even infants, are subject to natural death ; for this 
might be accounted for by the violation of the law of Moses, or of the 
law of nature, or by their inherent native depravity. This covers the 
whole ground, and may account for the universality of natural death. 
But no one of these causes, nor all combined, can account for the inflic- 
tion of all the penal evils to which men are subjected. The great fact 
in the apostle's mind was, that God regards and treats all men, from the 
first moment of their existence, as out of fellowship with himself, as 
having forfeited his favour. Instead of entering into communion with 
them the moment they begin to exist (as he did with Adam), and form- 
ing them by his Spirit in his own moral image, he regards them as out 
of his favour, and withholds the influences of the Spirit. Why is this? 
Why does God thus deal with the human race? The fact that he does 
thus deal with them is not denied by any except Pelagians. Why then 
is it? Here is a form of death which the violation of the law of Moses, 
the transgression of the law of nature, the existence of innate depravity, 
separately or combined, are insufficient to account for. Its infliction is 
antecedent to them all ; and yet it is of all evils the essence and the sum. 
Men begin to exist out of communion with God. This is the fact which 
no sophistry can get out of the Bible or the history of the world. Paul 
tells us why it is. It is because we fell in Adam ; it is for the one of- 
fence of ONE MAN that all thus die. The covenant being formed with 
Adam, not only for himself, but also for his posterity (in other words, 
Adam having been placed on trial not for himself only, but also for his 
race), his act was, in virtue of this relation, regarded as our act; God 
withdrew from us as he did from him ; in consequence of this withdrawal 
we begin to exist in moral darkness, destitute of a disposition to delight 
in God, and prone to delight in ourselves and the world. The sin of 
Adam, therefore, ruined us ; it was the ground of the withdrawing of 
the divine favour from the whole race; and the intervention of the Son 
of God for our salvation is an act of pure, sovereign, and wonderful grace. 

Whatever obscurity, therefore, rests upon this passage, arises from 
taking the word death in the narrow sense in which it is commonly used 
among men ; if taken in its scriptural sense, the whole argument is plain 
and conclusive, het penal evil be substituted for the word death, and the 
argument will stand thus, 'All men are subject to penal evils on account 
of one man; this is the position to be proved (v. 12). That such is the 
case is evident, because the infliction of a penalty supposes the violation 
of law. But such evil was inflicted before the giving of the Mosaic 
law, it comes on men before the transgression of the law of nature, or 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 121 

even the existence of inherent depravity; it must, therefore, be for the 
oifence of one man that judgment has come upon all men to condemna- 
tion.' The wide sense in which the sacred writers use the word death 
accounts for the fact that the dissolution of the body (which is one form 
of the manifestation of the divine displeasure) is not only included in it, 
but is often the prominent idea. 

Until the law. That the law of Moses is here intended is plain from 
V. 14, where the period marked by the words until the laiv is described 
by spying from Adam to Moses. 

Sin was in the world, that is, men were regarded as sinners. These 
words must have the same meaning as all have sinned in the preceding, 
verse. They neither mean that men were corrupt, nor that they were 
actual sinners, but that they were treated as sinners. This is obvious 
from the next clause, ' Before the time of Moses men were treated as 
sinners, but they are not so treated where there is no law.' Sin is not 
imputed where there is no law. That is, sin is not laid to one's account 
and punished ; see ch. 4:8," Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will 
not impute sin ;" see remarks on ch. 4 : 3, and the frequently recurring 
equivalent expressions, " His iniquity shall be upon him," as in Num. 
15: 31; "He shall bear his iniquity," Lev. 5: 1. The principle here 
advanced, and on which the apostle's argument rests, is that the inflic- 
tion of penal evils implies the violation of law. The only question then 
is, what law have all mankind violated so as to become subject to death ? 
The answer follows in the next verse. 

(14) nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses. That is, men 
were subject to death before the law of Moses was given, and conse- 
quently not on account of violating it. There must be some other 
ground, therefore, of their exposure to death. 

Even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's trans- 
gression. That is, who had not sinned as Adam did. The question is, 
what is the point of dissimilarity to which the apostle here refers ? 
Some say it is that Adam violated a positive command to which the sanc- 
don of death was expressly added, and that those referred to did not. 
The principal objections to this interpretation are, 1. That it destroys the 
distinction between the two classes of persons here alluded to. It makes 
Paul, in effect, reason thus, ' Death reigned over those who had not vio- 
lated any positive law, even over those who had not violated any posi- 
tive law.' It is obvious that the first clause of the verse describes a 
general class, and the second clause, which is distinguished from the 
first by the word even, only a portion of that class. All men who died 
from Adam to Moses died without violating a positive command. The 
class, therefore, which is distinguished from them, must be contrasted 
with Adam on some other ground than that which is common to the 
whole. 2. This interpretation is inconsistent with the context, because 
it involves us in inextricable difficulties in the interpretation of vs. 13, 14. 
We must suppose that these verses are designed to prove that all men 

L 



122 ROMANS 5: 12—21. 

are sinners, which is altogether at variance with the context, with tlie 
meaning of v. 12, with the scope of the passage and drift of the argu- 
ment. Or we must adopt the interpretation of those who confine the 
word death to mean the dissolution of the body, and who make the apos- 
tle argue that men do not incur this particular evil for their own sins, but 
for the sin of Adam. Or we are driven to some other unsatisfactory view 
of the passage. In short, these verses, when the clause in question is 
thus explained, present insuperable difficulties. 

Others understand the difference between Adam and those intended to 
be described in this clause, to be, that Adam sinned personally and actu- 
ally, the others not. In favour of this view it may be argued, 1. That 
the words evidently admit of this interpretation as naturally as of the 
other. Paul simply says the persons referred to did not sin as Adam 
did. Whether he means that they did not sin at all, that they were not 
sinners in the ordinary sense of that term; or that they had not sinned 
against the same kind of law, depends on the context, and is not deter- 
mined by the mere form of expression. 2. If v. 12 teaches that men 
are subject to death on account of the sin of Adam, if this is the doctrine 
of the whole passage, and if, as is admitted, vs. 13, 14 are designed to 
prove the assertion of v. 12, then is it necessary that the apostle should 
show that death comes on those who have no personal and actual sins to 
answer for. This he does. ' Death reigns not only over those who have 
never broken any positive law, but even over those who have never 
sinned as Adam did ; that is, who have never in their own persons vio- 
lated any law, by which their exposure to death can be accounted for.' 
All the arguments, therefore, which go to establish the interpretation 
given above of v. 12, or the correctness of the exhibition of the course 
of the apostle's argument, and design of the whole passage, bear with 
all their force in support of the view here given of this clause. Almost 
all the objections to this interpretation, being founded on misapprehen- 
sion, are answered by the mere statement-of the case. The simple doc- 
trine and argument of the apostle is, that there are penal evils which 

COME UPON MEN ANTECEDENTLY TO ANY TRANSGRESSIONS OF THEIR OWN, 
AND AS THE INFLICTION OF THESE EVILS IMPLIES A VIOLATION OF LAW, 
IT FOLLOWS THAT THEY ARE REGARDED AND TREATED AS SINNERS ON 
THE GROUND OF THE DISOBEDIENCE OF ANOTHER. In Other WOrds, that 

it was by the offence of one man that judgment came on all men to con- 
demnation. It is of course not implied in this statement or argument 
that men are not now, or were not from Adam to Moses, punishable for 
their own sins, but simply that they are subject to penal evils which can- 
not be accounted for on the ground of their personal transgressions. 
This statement, which contains the whole doctrine of imputation, is so 
obviously contained in the argument of the apostle, and stands out so 
conspicuously in the Bible, and is so fully esta]?lished by the history of 
the world, that it is frequently and freely admitted by the great majority 
of commentators. 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 123 

JVho was a figure of him that was to covie. The word translated 
figure means properly a print., or impression of any thing, John 20 : 25, 
where it is used of the print of the nails ; then more generally an image, 
model, likeness, type. The simple meaning, is that Adam was like 
Christ. Him that luas to come, i. e. the Messiah, who is called the 
second Adam, 1 Cor. 15 : 45 ; and from the fact that he had been long 
expected, "He that was to come," Matt. 11 : 3. The point of resem- 
blance between Adam and Christ is to be gathered from the context. It 
is this : each stood as the head and representative of all connected with 
them. By the offence of the one all connected with him are subject to 
death ; and by the righteousness of the other all connected with him are 
justified and saved. 

As Paul commenced this section with the design of instituting this 
comparison between Christ and Adam, and interrupted himself to prove, 
in vs. 13, 14, that Adam was really the representative of his race, or 
that all men are subject to death for his offence ; and having, at the close 
of V. 14, announced the fact of this resemblance, by calling Adam a type 
of Christ, he again stops to limit and explain this declaration, by point- 
ing out the real nature of the analogy. This he does principally by 
showing, in verses 15, 16, 17, the particulars in which the comparison 
does not hold. And in vs. 18, 19, which are a resumption of the senti- 
ment of V. 12, he states the grand point of their agreement. 

(15) £ut not as the offence, so also is the free gift. The cases, al- 
though parallel, are not precisely alike. In the first place, it is far more 
consistent with our views of the character of God that many should be 
benefited by the merit of one man, than that they should suffer for the 
sin of one. If the latter has happened, much more may we expect the 
former to occur. The attentive reader of this passage will perceive con- 
stantly increasing evidence that the design of the apostle is, not to show 
that the blessings procured by Christ are greater than the evils caused 
by Adam ; but to illustrate and confirm the prominent doctrine of the 
epistle, that we are justified on the ground of the righteousness of Christ. 
This is obvious from the sentiment of this verse, ' If we die for the sin 
of Adam, much more may we live through the righteousness of Christ.' 

The expression but not as the offence, so also is the free gift, is sin- 
gularly concise and by itself obscure. But viewed in the light of the 
context, it is sufficiently plain. The offence includes not only the idea 
of the sin, but of the punishment of Adam; and they-ee gift is not only 
the righteousness of Christ, considered as a gracious gift of God, but 
also its reward. The former, therefore, is equivalent to the word fail ,- 
and the latter to its opposite, gracious restoration. The context shows 
this to be the full meaning of the words. As, however, the sin is the 
most prominent idea in the one phrase, and the righteousness in the other, 
these alone seem to be intended in the next clause, their consequences 
being left out of view. 

For if through the offence of one many be dead, that is, if on account 



124 ROMANS 5: 12—21. 

of the offence of the one many die. The dative, which is the case in 
which the word for offence here occurs, is used very frequently to express 
the ground or reason of a thing. Rom. 11 : 20, " Because of unbelief 
they were broken off," &c. Many, or rather the many, evidently means 
the multitude, the mass, the whole race ; as the words many and all are 
interchangeably used throughout the passage. 

It is here, therefore, expressly asserted that the sin of Adam was the 
cause of all his posterity's being subjected to death, that is, to penal evil. 
But it may still be asked whether it was the occasional or the immediate 
cause. That is, whether the apostle means to say that the sin of Adam 
was the occasion of all men being placed in such circumstances that they 
all sin, and thus incur death ; or that, by being the cause of the corrup- 
tion of their nature, it is thus indirectly the cause of their condemnation ; 
or whether he is to be understood as saying that his sin is the direct ju- 
dicial ground or reason for the infliction of penal evil ? Does the dative 
here express the occasional cause, or the ground or reason of the result 
attributed to the offence of one man 1 1. That such may be the force and 
meaning of the words, as they here stand, no one can pretend to doubt. 
That is, no one can deny that the dative case can express the ground or 
reason as well as the occasion of a thing. 2. This interpretation is not 
only possible, and in strict accordance with the meaning of the words, 
but it is here demanded by the context; because the sentiment expressed 
by these words is confessedly the same as that taught in those which 
follow ; and they, as will appear in the sequel, will not bear the oppo- 
site interpretation. 3. It is demanded by the whole design and drift of 
the passage. The very point of the comparison is, that as the righteous- 
ness of Christ, and not our own works, is the ground of our justification ; 
so the sin of Adam, antecedently to any sins of our own, is the ground 
of the infliction of certain penal evils. If the latter be denied, the very 
point of the analogy between Christ and Adam is destroyed. 

Much more the grace of God, and the gift hy grace, which is by one man, 
hath abounded unto many. Had Paul been studious of uniformity in the 
structure of his sentences, this clause would have been differently worded. 
' If by the offence of one many die, much more by the free gift of one shall 
many live.' The meaning is the same. The force of the passage lies 
in the words much more. The idea is not that the grace is more abun- 
dant and efficacious than the offence and its consequences, which idea is 
expressed in v. 20, but if the one dispensation has occurred, much more 
may the other; if we die for one, much more may we live by another. 
The first clause of the verse may be thus interpreted, ' the grace of God, 
even the gift by grace ;' so that the latter phrase is explanatory of the 
former. If they are to be distinguished, the first refers to the cause, viz. 
the grace of God *, and the second to the result, viz. the gift by grace, 
i. e. the gracious or free gift. Which is by one man, Jesus Christ ; that 
is, which comes to us through Christ. This free gift is of course the 
opposite of what comes upon us for the sake of Adam. Guilt and con 



ROMANS 5 : 12—21. 125 

demnation come from him; righteousness and consequent acceptance 
from Jesus Christ. What is here called the free gift is, in v. 17, called 
the gift of righteousness. Hath abounded unto many ,- that is, has been 
freely and abundantly bestowed on many. Whether the many in this 
clause is coextensive numerically with the many in the other, will be 
considered under v. 18. 

(16) dnd not as it was by one that sinned, so is gift, &c. This 
clause, as it stands in the original, and not as by one that sinned, the 
gift, is obviously elliptical. Some word corresponding to gift is to be 
supplied in the first member. Either o^e^ce, which is opposed to the 
free gift in the preceding verse ; or judgment, which occurs in the next 
clause. The sense then is, 'The gift (of justification, see v. 17) was not 
like the sentence which came by one that sinned.' The point of this 
verse is, that the sentence of condemnation which passed on all men* 
for the sake of Adam, was for one offence, whereas we are justified by 
Christ from many offences. Christ does much m.ore than remove the 
guilt and evils consequent on the sin of Adam. This is the second par- 
ticular in which the work of Christ differs from that of Adam. 

For the judgment was by one to condemnation. By one does not 
here mean by one man, but by one offence, as is obvious from its opposi- 
tion to the phrase many offences in the same clause. " A judgment to 
condemnation" is an Hebraic or Hellenistic idiom for a condemnatory 
judgment, or sentence of condemnation. The word rendered judgment 
properly means the decision or sentence of a judge, and is here to be 
taken in its usual and obvious signification. 

It is then plainly stated in this clause that ' the sentence of condemna- 
tion passed on all men for the one offence of Adam.' This interpretation 
of the clause is obviously the correct one. 1. Because it is the simple 
and proper meaning of the words. To say that a sentence is for an of- 
fence, is to say that the sentence is on account of the offence, and not 
that the offence is the cause of something else which is the ground of the 
sentence. The preposition rendered by expresses properly the origin of 
one thing from another ; and is therefore used to indicate almost any re- 
lation in which a cause may stand to an effect. The logical character of 
this relation depends, of course, on the nature of the subject spoken of. 
In all such cases as Gal. 2: 16, "A man is not justified Z>2/ works;" 
Rom. 9 : 11, the purpose of election " is not of works ;" Tit. 3 : 5, we 
are saved " not by works of righteousness," and in a multitude of simi- 
lar examples, it indicates the rational cause, or reason, as it does here. 
We are not elected, justified, or saved on account of our works. When 
Paul, therefore, says we are condemned by or for the offence of one, and 
that we are justified by or for the righteousness of another, the meaning 
obviously is, that it is on account of the offence we are condemned, and 

* The words all men are expressed in v. 18, where this clause is repeated. " By 
the offence of one judgment came on all men to condemnation." 

1.2 



126 ROMANS 5: 12—21. 

on account of the righteousness we are justified. The expression " the 
sentence was by one offence" teaches as clearly the mode of condemna- 
tion, as the mode of justification is taught by saying " it is not by works," 
but " by the righteousness of Christ." 2. This interpretation is not 
only the simple and natural meaning of the words, but is rendered ne- 
cessary by the context. We have in this verse the idea of pardon on 
the one hand, and condemnation on the other. If the lattei clause 
means, as is admitted, that we are pardoned for many offences, the former 
must mean we are condemned for one. 3. The whole force of the con- 
trast lies in this very idea. The antithesis in this verse is between the 
one offence and the many offences. To make Paul say that the offence 
of Adam was the means of involving us in a multitude of crimes, from 
all of which Christ saves us, is to make the evil and tne benefit exactly 
equal. ' Adam leads us into offences from which Christ delivers us.' 
Here is no contrast and no superiority. Paul, howevei, evidently means 
to assert that the evil, from which Christ saves us, is far greater than 
that which Adam has brought upon us. According to the natural inter- 
pretation of the verse this idea is retained ; ' Adam brought upon us the 
condemnation of one offence ; Christ saves us from that of many.'' 
4. Add to these considerations the obvious meaning of the corresponding 
clauses in the other verses, especially in v. 19, and the design of the 
apostle so often referred to, and it seems scarcely possible to resist the 
evidence in favour of this view of the passage.* 

The free gift is of many offences unto justification, that is, the free 
gift is justification. The construction of this clause is the same as that 
of the preceding one, and is to be explained in the same way. As, how- 
ever, the logical relation of a sentence to an offence is not the same as 
that of pardon to transgressions, the preposition {Ik) cannot express pre- 
cisely the same idea here as in the foregoing clause. Though it is pro- 
per to say we are condemned on account of our offences, we cannot say 
we are pardoned or justified on account of them in precisely the same 
sense. Our translators render the word, therefore, in the first instance 
hy, and in the second of. The sentiment of the verse then is, ' While, 
on account of Adam, we suffer the sentence of condemnation pronounced 
on one sin, we are freed through Christ from the condemnation of many.' 

(17) For if by one man's offence death reigned by one,- much more, 
&c. It is doubtful whether this verse is a mere amplification of the 
idea of v. 15, which, in import and structure, it so much resembles; or 
whether the stress is to be laid on the last clause, reigning in life,- so that 
the point of the difference between Adam and Christ, as here indicated, 
is, Christ not only delivers from death, but bestows eternal life ; or, 
finally, whether the emphasis is to be laid on the word receive. The 

* This interpretation is given not only by the older and stricter Calvinistics, but 
by Arminians, Pelagians, Rationalists, and the great body of philological com- 
mentators. 



ROMANS 5 : 12—21. 127 

idea would then be, ' if we are thus subject to death for an offence in 
which we had no personal concern, how much more shall we be saved 
by a righteousness which we voluntarily embrace.' The decision of 
these questions is not at all material to the general interpretation of the 
passage. Both of the ideas contained in the latter two views of the 
verse are probably to be included. 

For if by one man's offence death reigned hy one. That is, if on 
account of the offence of one man many are subject to death. This 
clause is a repetition, in nearly the same words, of the second clause of 
V. 15, if through the offence of one many he dead, and is to be explained 
in the same way. The dative has the same force here which it has 
there. See the remarks on that verse. 

Much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of 
righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. The phrase abun- 
dance of grace is explained by the following one, gift of righteousness f 
' grace, even the gift of righteousness ;' which is the gift or favour of 
which the apostle is speaking throughout the whole passage. That 
righteousness here does not mean holiness, is evident from the constant 
use of the word by Paul in a different sense in this epistle ; from the 
fact that it is pardon, justification, justifying righteousness, not sanctifi- 
cation, that Paul in the context represents as the blessing received from 
Christ; and because it is in this verse opposed to the reigning of death, 
or state of condemnation, on account of the offence of Adam. They 
which receive the abundant grace expresses much more than the mere 
offer of pardon. It cannot be said of all who live under a dispensation 
of grace that they shall reign in life through Jesus Christ. This clause 
evidently is descriptive of those who voluntarily embrace the offered, 
blessing. The gift of righteousness is something more than pardoning 
grace. It is that which is expressed in v. 15 by the free gift; and in 
V. 16 by the free gift unto justification. It is, therefore, the gift of 
justification ; or, what is but another method of stating the same idea, it 
is the righteousness of Christ by which we are justified, since the gift 
of justification includes the gift of Christ's righteousness. The mean- 
ing of the verse consequently is, ' If on account of the offence of one 
man we are condemned, much more shall those who receive the right- 
eousness graciously offered to them in the gospel, not only be delivered 
from condemnation, but also reign in life by one, Jesus Christ;' that is, 
be gloriously exalted in the participation of that life of holiness and com- 
munion with God which is the end of our being, and of which Christ 
alone is the author. 

By one, Jesus Christ. As it was by one man, antecedently to any con- 
currence of our own, that we were brought into a state of condemnation, 
so it is by one man, without any merit of our own, that we are delivered 
from this state. If the one event has happened, much more may we 
expect the other to occur. If we are thus involved in the condemnation 
of a sin in which we had no personal concern, much more shall we, whd 



128 ROMANS 5: 12—21. 

voluntarily receive the gift of righteousness, be not only saved from the 
consequences of the fall, but be made partakers of eternal life. 

(18) Therefore^ as by the offence of one judgment came on all men to 
condemnation; even so, &c. The words rendered therefore mark the re- 
sumption of the comparison commenced in v. 12. The carrying out of 
this comparison was interrupted, in the first place, to prove, in vs. 13, 14, 
the position assumed in v. 12, that all men are subject to death on ac- 
count of the sin of Adam ; and, in the second place, to limit and explain 
the analogy asserted to exist between Christ and Adam, at the close of 
V. 14. This is done in vs. 15, 16, 17. Having thus fortified and ex- 
plained his meaning, the apostle now states the case in full. The word 
therefore, at the beginning of v. 12, marks an inference from the whole 
doctrine of the epistle ; the corresponding words here are also strictly 
inferential. It had been proved that we are justified by the righteous- 
ness of one man, and it has also been proved that we are under condem- 
nation for the oflfence of one. Therefore, as we are condemned, even so 
are we justified. 

It will be remarked, from the manner in which they are printed, that 
the words judgment came, in the first clause of this verse, and the /ree 
gift came, in the second, have nothing to answer to them in the original. 
That they are correctly and necessarily supplied, is obvious from a 
reference to v. 16, where these elliptical phrases occur in full. 

The construction in these clauses, the judgment was to condemnation, 
and the free gift was unto justification of life, is the same as that in the 
second clause of v. 16, and is to be explained in the same manner. ' The 
sentence was condemnation,' i. e. condemnatory. This came upon all 
men by the oflfence of one ; that is, on that account they were condemned. 
* The free gift was justification of life.' This also comes on all by the 
righteousness of one; that is, on this ground they are justified. The 
expression justi^cation of life means that justification which is connected 
with eternal life, or of which that life is the consequence. 

There are two important questions yet to be considered in reference to 
this verse. The first is. What is the force of the phrase by the offence of 
one judgment came on all men to condemnation? There is no dispute as 
to the meaning of the expression "judgment came on all to condemna- 
tion;" it is admitted to mean, what alone it can mean, "that all are con- 
demned ; see above on v. 16. But the question is. What is the relation 
between the oflfence of Adam and the condemnation of men? Or what 
is the force of the words by the offence of one ? According to the com- 
mon, and, as it is believed, the only correct view of the passage, these 
words state that the oflfence of Adam was the ground of the condemna- 
tion of men, and not merely the occasion of it. The preposition which 
is rendered by (Jtd) is not the same as that which is so translated in 
V. 16. It is readily admitted that this preposition has, with the genitive, 
the meaning by means of, and with the accusative, on account of. With 
the former case it expresses the means by which any thing is done, and, 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 129 

with the latter, the ground or reason for which it is done. As the geni- 
tive is used here and in the following verse, it may be argued that Paul 
does not mean to say that the offence of Adam was the ground of our 
condemnation, but that it was the occasion of it merely ; or, in general 
terms, the cause of it, without indicating the nature of that cause. 
While it is admitted that the preposition in question, with the genitive, 
properly indicates the means to an end, yet, from the nature of the case, 
that means may be the ground or reason on which any thing is done. 
Thus, in v. 12 of this chapter, Paul says " death was by sin," i. e. sin 
was the means or cause of death, yet it was such by being the ground or 
reason of its infliction. The sense, therefore, is accurately expressed by 
saying ' death was on account of sin.' In ch. 3 : 24 we are said to be 
justified "through the redemption" of Christ, i. e. hy means of it; yet 
here the means is of the nature of the ground or reason of our justifica- 
tion. The same remark may be made in reference to the frequent phrases 
"through his blood," Eph. 1 : 7. Col. 1 : 14, &c. ; " through his death," 
Rom. 5 : 10. Col. 1 : 22 ; "by the cross," Eph. 2 : 16, &c. ; " by the 
sacrifice of himself," Heb. 9 : 26 ; " through the offering of the body of 
Jesus," Heb. 10: 10; in all these, and a multitude of similar cases, the 
preposition in question retains its appropriate force with the genitive, as 
indicating the means, and yet in all of them the means is the ground or 
reason. Thus also, in this immediate connexion, we have the expres- 
sions " hy the righteousness of one" all are justified ; and " hy the obe- 
dience of one shall many be made righteous." We have, therefore, in 
this single passage no less than three cases, vs. 12, 18, 19, in which this 
preposition with the genitive indicates such a means to an end, as the 
ground or reason on account of which something is given or performed. 
All this is surely sufficient to prove that it may^ in the case before us, 
express the ground why the sentence of condemnation has passed on all 
men. That such, in this connexion, must be its meaning, appears, 
1. From the nature of the subject spoken of. To say that one man has 
been corrupted by another, may indeed express very generally that one 
was the cause of the corruption of the other, without giving any informa- 
tion as to the mode in which the result was secured. But to say that a 
man was justified by means of a good action, or that he was condemned 
by means of a bad one; or, plainer still, in Paul's own language, that a 
condemnatory sentence came upon him by means of that action ; accord 
ing to all common rules of interpretation, naturally means that such ac- 
tion was the reason of the sentence. 2. From the antithesis. If the 
phrase "by the righteousness of one all are justified" means, as is ad- 
mitted, that that righteousness is the ground of our justification; the 
opposite clause, " by the offence of one all are condemned," must have a 
similar meaning. 3. The point of the comparison, as frequently re- 
marked before, lies in this very idea. The fact that Adam's sin was the 
occasion of our sinning, and thus incurring the divine displeasure, is no 
illustration of the fact that Christ's righteousness, and not our own 



130 ROMANS 5: 12—21. 

merit, is the ground of our acceptance. There would be some plausi- 
bility in this interpretation, if it were the doctrine of the gospel that 
Christ's righteousness is the occasion of our becoming holy, and that on 
the ground of this personal holiness we are justified. But this not being 
the case, the interpretation in question cannot be adopted in consistency 
with the design of the apostle, or the common rules of exposition. 
4. This clause is nearly identical with the corresponding one of v. 16, 
" the judgment was by one (offence) to condemnation." But that clause, 
as shown above, is made, almost by common consent, to mean that the 
offence was the ground of the condemnatory sentence. Such, therefore, 
must be the meaning of the apostle in this verse ; compare also vs. 15, 
17, 19. 

The second question of importance respecting this verse is, whether 
the all men of the second clause is coextensive with the all men of the 
first. Are the all who are justified for the righteousness of Christ, the 
all who are condemned for the sin of Adam 1 In regard to this point it 
may be remarked, in the first place, that no inference can be fairly drawn 
in favour of an affirmative answer to this question, from the mere uni- 
versality of the expression. Nothing is more familiar to the readers of 
the Scriptures than that such universal terms are to be limited by the 
nature of the subject or the context. Thus, John 3 : 26, it is said of 
Christ, "all men come to him ;" John 12 : 32, Christ says, "I, if I be 
lifted up, will draw all men unto me." Thus the expressions " all the 
world should be taxed," "all Judea," " all Jerusalem," must, from the 
nature of the case, be limited. In a multitude of cases the words all, all 
things, mean the all spoken of in the context, and not all without excep- 
tion ; see Eph. 1 : 10. Col. 1 : 20. 1 Cor. 15 : 23, 51, &c. &c. 2. This 
limitation is always implied when the Scriptures elsewhere speak of a 
necessary condition connected with the blessing to which all are said to 
attain. It is everywhere taught that faith is necessary to justification ; 
and, therefore, when it is said " all are justified," it must mean all be- 
lievers. " By him," says this apostle, " all that believe are justified from 
all things," &c. Acts 13 : 39. 3. As if to prevent the possibility of mis- 
take, Paul, in V. 17, says it is those who "receive the gift of right- 
eousness" that reign in life. 4. Even the all men, in the first clause, 
must be limited to those descended from Adam " by ordinary genera- 
tion." It is not absolutely all. The man Christ Jesus must be ex- 
cepted. The plain meaning is, all connected with Adam, and all con- 
nected with Christ. 5. A reference to the similar passage in 1 Cor. 15 : 
22, confirms this interpretation, "As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall 
all be made alive ;" that is, shall be made partakers of a glorious resur- 
rection and of eternal life. Thus the original word and the context 
require the latter clause of that verse to be understood. The all there 
intended are immediately called " they that are Christ's," v. 23, i. e. all 
connected with him, and not numerically the all that die in Adam. 
6. This interpretation is necessary because it is impossible, with any 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 131 

regard to scriptural usage or truth, to carry the opposite interpretation 
through. In this whole passage there are two classes of persons spoken 
of, those connected with Adam and those connected with Christ. Of 
the former it is said, " they die," v. 15 ; " they are condemned," vs. 16, 
18 ; "they are made sinners," v. 19, by the offence of one man. Of the 
latter it is said, that to them " the grace of God and the gift by grace 
hath abounded," v. 15 ; " that they are freely justified from many of- 
fences," vs. 16, 18 ; " that they shall reign in life through Christ Jesus," 
V. 17 ; " that they are regarded and treated as righteous," v. 19. If these 
things can be said of all men, of impenitent sinners and hardened repro- 
bates, what remains to be said of the people of God 1 It is not possible 
so to eviscerate these declarations as to make them contain nothing more 
than that the chance of salvation is offered to all men. To say that a 
man is justified, is not to say that he has the opportunity of justifying 
himself; and to say that a man shall reign in life, is not to say he may 
possibly be saved. Who ever announces to a congregation of sinners 
that they are all justified — they are all constituted righteous — they all 
have the justification of life 1 The interpretation which requires all 
these strong and plain declarations to be explained in a sense which they 
confessedly have nowhere else in the Bible, and which makes them 
mean hardly any thing at all, is at variance with every sound principle 
of construction. It is not within the bounds of possibility that " the 
many (i.e. all) shall be constituted righteous;" that is, "justified, 
pardoned, accepted and treated as righteous," means nothing more than 
that acceptance is proffered to all men. Paul's doctrine, therefore, is, 
* As on account of the offence of Adam, all connected with him are con- 
demned ; so on account of the righteousness of Christ, all connected with 
him have the justification of life.' 

(19) For as by one man^s disobedience many were made sinners, so 
by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. This verse pre- 
sents the doctrine of the preceding one in a somewhat different form. 
As in the doctrine of justification, there are the two ideas of the ascrip- 
tion of righteousness, and treating as righteous ; and in the doctrine of 
the fall, the ascription of guilt (legal responsibility), and the treating all 
men as guilty ;^ so either of these ideas is frequently presented more 
prominently than the other. In v. 18 it is the latter, in each case, which 
is made most conspicuous, and in v. 19 the former. In v. 18 it is our 
being treated as sinners for the sin of Adam, and our being treated as 
righteous for the righteousness of Christ, that is most prominently pre- 
sented. In V. 19, on the contrary, it is our being regarded as sinners 
for the disobedience of Adam, and our being regarded as righteous for 
the obedience of Christ, that are rendered most conspicuous. Hence 
Paul begins this verse with ./or. 'We are treated as sinners for the 
cffence of Adam, /or we are regarded as sinners on his account,' &c. &c. 
Though the one idea seems thus to be the more prominent in v. 18, and 



132 ROMANS 5: 12—21 

the other in v. 19, yet it is only a greater degree of prominency to the 
one, and not the exclusion of the other, that is in either case intended. 

By one manh disobedience. The disobedience here is evidently the 
first transgression of Adam, spoken of in v. 16, as ike one offence. The 
obedience of Christ here stands for all his work in satisfying the demands 
of the law ; his obedience unto and in death ; that by which the law was 
magnified and rendered honourable, as well as satisfied. From its oppo- 
sition to the disobedience of Adam, his obedience, strictly speaking, 
rather than his sufferings, seems to be the prominent idea. The words 
the many^ in both clauses of this verse, are obviously equivalent to the 
all of the corresponding clauses of v. 18, and are to be explained in the 
same manner. 

With regard to the first clause of this verse, we meet again the three 
interpretations to which reference has so frequently been made. That 
the disobedience of Adam was the occasion of men's becoming sinners. 
That through that disobedience all men were corrupted, that is, that 
they have derived a corrupt nature from Adam, which is the immediate 
ground of their suffering penal evils. That it is on account of his dis- 
obedience they are regarded and treated as sinners. With increasing 
clearness it may be made to appear that here, as elsewhere throughout 
the passage, the last is the apostle's doctrine. 

1. It is in accordance with one of the most familiar of scriptural 
usages, that the words to make sinners, are interpreted as meaning, to 
regard and treat as such. Thus, to make clean, to make unclean, to 
make righteous, to make guilty, are the constant scriptural expressions 
for regarding and treating as clean, unclean, righteous, or unrighteous ; 
see on v. 12. 

2. The expressions to make sin, and to make righteousness, occurring 
in a corresponding sense, illustrate and confirm this interpretation. Thus 
in 2 Cor. 5:21, Christ is said to be "made sin," i. e. regarded and 
treated as a sinner, " that we might be made the righteousness of God in 
him," i. e. that we might be regarded and treated as righteous in the 
sight of God, on his account. 3. The antithesis is here so plain as to be 
of itself decisive. " To be made righteous" is, according to Professor 
Stuart, "to be justified, pardoned, regarded and treated as righteous." 
With what show of consistency, then, can it be denied that " to be made 
sinners," in the opposite clause, means to be regarded and treated as sin- 
ners 1 If one part of the verse speaks of justification, the other must speak 
of condemnation. 4. As so often before remarked, the analogy between 
the case of Adam and Christ requires this interpretation. If the first 
clause means either that the disobedience of Adam was the occasion of 
our committing sin, or that it was the cause of our becoming inherently 
corrupt, and on the ground of these sins, or of this corruption, being con- 
demned ; then must the other clause mean that the obedience of Christ 
is the cause of our becoming holy, or performing good . works on the 
ground of which we are justified. But this confessedly is not the mean- 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 133 

ing of the apostle. If then the same words, in the same connexion, and 
the same grammatical construction, must have the same meaning, the 
interpretation given above must be correct. 5. The design of the apos- 
tle to illustrate the great doctrine of the gospel, that men, although in 
themselves ungodly, are regarded and treated as righteous for Christ's 
sake, demands this interpretation. 

The meaning then of the whole passage is this : by one man sin en- 
tered into the world, or men were brought to stand in the relation of sin- 
ners to God ; death consequently passed on all, because, for the offence 
of that one man, they all became sinners (guilty), i. e. were all regarded 
and treated as sinners. That this is really the case is plain ; because 
the execution of the penalty of a law cannot be more extensive than its 
violation ; and consequently if all are subject to penal evils, all are re- 
garded as sinners in the sight of God. This universality in the infliction 
of penal evil cannot be accounted for on the ground of the violation of 
the law of Moses, since men were subject to such evil before that law 
was given ; nor yet on account of the violation of the more general law 
written on the heart, since even they are subject to this evil who have 
never personally sinned at all. We must conclude, therefore, that men 
are regarded and treated as sinners on account of the sin of Adam. 

He is, therefore, a type of Christ. The cases, however, are not en- 
tirely analogous ;* for if it is consistent with the divine character that we 
should suffer for what Adam did, how much more may we expect to be 
made happy for what Christ has done. Besides, we are condemned for 
one sin only on Adam's account; whereas Christ saves us not only from 
the evils consequent on that transgression, but also from the punishment 
of our own innumerable offences. Now if, for the offence of one, death 
thus triumphs, over all, how much more shall they who receive the grace 
of the gospel (not only be saved from evil, but) reign in life through 
Christ Jesus. 

"Wherefore, as, on account of one, the condemnatory .sentence has 
passed on all the descendants of Adam ; so on account of the righteous- 
ness of one, gratuitous justification comes on all who receive the grace 
of Christ; for as on account of the disobedience of one, we are regarded 
as sinners ; so on account of the obedience of the other, we are regarded 
as righteous. 

(20) Moreover the law entered that the offence might abound^ &c. 
Paul, having shown that our jiistification was effected without the inter- 
vention of either the moral or Mosaic law, was naturally led to state the 
design and result of the renewed revelation of the one, and the superin- 
duction of the other. The law stands here for the whole of the Old 
Testament economy, including the clear revelation of the moral law, and 
all the institutions connected with the former dispensation. The main 
design and result of this dispensation, considered as law, that is, apart 
from the evangelical import of many of its parts, was that sin or offence 
might abound. There is an ambiguity here in the original, which does 

M 



134 ROMANS 5: 13—21. 

not exist in our version. The Greek may mean either that the design of 
the introduction of the law was that sin might abound ; or, simply, that 
such was the result. Which idea is to be preferred depends on the view 
taken of the word rendered abound. This word may, according to a very 
common usage, mean, to appear, or he seen as abounding ^ see ch. 4 : 5, 
" Let God be true," i. e. let it be seen and acknowledged that he is true. 
Agreeably to this view, the meaning of the clause is, that the great de- 
sign of the law (in reference to justification) is to produce the knowledge 
and conviction of sin. Taking the word in its usual sense, the meaning 
is, the result of the introduction of the law was the increase of sin. 
This result is to be attributed partly to the fact that by enlarging the 
knowledge of the rule of duty, responsibility was proportionably in- 
creased, according to ch. 4 : 15; and partly to the consideration that the 
enmity of the heart is awakened by its operation and transgressions ac- 
tually multiplied, agreeably to ch. 7 : 8. Both views of the passage 
express an important truth, as the conviction of sin and its incidental in- 
crease are alike the result of the operation of the law. It seems, how- 
ever, more in accordance with the apostle's object, and with the general, 
although not uniform, force of the particle rendered that, to consider the 
clause as expressing the design, rather than the result, simply, of the 
giving of tlie lav/. 

The word entered is hardly an adequate translatiqn of the original 
term. The latter expresses, in Gal. 2 : 4, the idea of surreptitious en- 
trance, and here probably that of superindudion. The law was super- 
induced on a plan already laid. It was not designed for the accomplish- 
ment of man's salvation, that is, either for his justification or sanctifica- 
tion, but for the accomplishment of a very subordinate part in the great 
scheme of mercy. The Jews, therefore, erred greatly, both by over- 
estimating its importance and mistaking its design. It was never in- 
tended to give life. 

But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That is, 
great as is the prevalence of sin, as seen and felt in the light of God's 
holy law, yet over all this evil the grace of the gospel has abounded. 
The gospel or the grace of God has proved itself much more efficacious 
in the production of good, than sin in the production of evil. This idea 
is illustrated in the following verse. 

(21) That as sin hath reigned unto death, &c. That is, as sin has 
powerfully prevailed, and is followed by death as its necessary conse- 
quence. The word reigned expresses strongly the extended authority 
and power of sin over the human family; a power which is deadly, 
destructive of all excellence and happiness. 

Even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, 
by Jesus Christ our Lord. The words " righteousness unto eternal life" 
should not be separated by a comma, as is commonly done in our Bibles. 
And the word translated righteousness should be rendered justification, 
as appears by a comparison with the preceding verses. " Justification 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 135 

unto eternal life" is the same with the "justification of life" in v. 18; 
both expressions mean ' that justification which is connected with eter- 
nal life.' It will be remarked that these words answer to the death 
spoken of in the preceding clause. As death is the consequence and 
attendant of sin, so the justification of life is the consequence and at- 
tendant of the grace of the gospel. 

By Jesus Christ our Lord. To him, and him alone, do we owe it 
that the reign of sin and death has not produced universal and perpetual 
desolation. He has brought deliverance from both, and introduction 
into eternal life. 

'Grace much wore abounds than sin,' 1. Because we have reason to 
believe, taking into view those who die in infancy, and the probable fu- 
ture state of the church, that the number of the saved will greatly exceed 
that of the lost. 2. Because Christ does far more than merely repair 
the evils of sin. He not only delivers us from its power and penalty, 
but exalts our natures and persons to a state to which we have no reason 
to suppose they would otherwise ever have attained. 3. Through the 
redeemed church is to be manifested, in ages to come, to principalities 
and powers, the manifold wisdom of God. The results of redemption 
no tongue can tell, no heart conceive. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The doctrine of imputation is clearly taught in this passage. This 
doctrine does not include the idea of a mysterious identity of Adam and 
his race ; nor that of a transfer of the moral turpitude of his sin to his 
descendants. It does not teach that his offence was personally or pro- 
perly the sin of all men, or that his act was, in any mysterious sense, 
the act of his posterity. Neither does it imply, in reference to the right- 
eousness of Christ, that his righteousness becomes personally and inhe- 
rently ours, or that his moral excellence is in any way transferred from 
him to believers. The sin of Adam, therefore, is no ground to us of re- 
morse ; and the righteousness of Christ is no ground of self-complacency 
in those to whom it is imputed. This doctrine merely teaches that, in 
virtue of the union, representative and natural, between Adam and his 
posterity, his sin is the ground of their condemnation, that is, of their 
subjection to penal evils ; and that, in virtue of the union between Christ 
and his people, his righteousness is the ground of their justification. 
This doctrine is taught, almost in so many words, in vs. 12, 15, 16, 17, 
18, 19. It is so clearly stated, so often repeated or assumed, and so for- 
mally proved, that very few commentators, of any class, fail to acknow- 
ledge, in one form or another, that it is the doctrine of the apostle. 

2. As the term death is used for any and every evil judicially inflicted 
as the punishment of sin, the amount and nature of the evil not being 
expressed by the word, it is no part of the apostle's doctrine that eternal 
misery is inflicted on any man for the sin of Adam, irrespective of inhe- 
rent depravity or actual transgression. It is enough for all the purposes 



136 ROMANS 5: 12—21. 

of his argument that that sin was the ground of the loss of the divine 
favour, the withholding of divine influence, and the consequent corrup- 
tion of our nature. 

3. Whatever evil the Scriptures represent as coming upon us on ac- 
count of Adam, they regard as penal; they call it death, which is the 
general term by which any penal evil is expressed. 

It is not, however, the doctrine of the Scriptures, nor of the reformed 
churches, nor of our standards, that the corruption of nature of which 
they speak is any depravation of the soul, or an essential attribute, or 
the infusion of any positive evil. " Original sin," as the Confessions of 
the Reformers maintain, " is not the substance of man, neither his soul, 
nor body ; nor is it any thing infused into his nature by Satan, as poison 
is mixed with wine ; it is not an essential attribute, but an accident, i. e. 
something which does not exist of itself, an incidental quality," &c. 
Bretschneider, Vol. II. p. 30. These confessions teach that original 
righteousness, as a punishment of Adam's sin, was lost, and hy that de- 
fect the tendency to sin, or corrupt disposition, or corruption of nature, 
is occasioned. Though they speak of original sin as being, first, nega- 
tive, i. e. the loss of righteousness ; and, secondly, positive, or corruption 
of nature ; yet by the latter, they state, is to be understood, not the in- 
fusion of any thing ip itself sinful, but an actual tendency or disposition 
to evil, resulting from the loss of righteousness. This is clearly ex- 
pressed in the quotation just made. "There is no necessity," says 
Goodwin, " of asserting original sin to be a positive quality in our souls, 
since the privation of righteousness is enough to infect the soul with all 
that is evil." Yet he, in common with the reformers, represents origi- 
nal sin as having a positive as well as a negative side. This, however, 
results from the active nature of the soul. If there is no tendency to 
the love and service of God, there is, from this very defect, a tendency to 
self and sin. 

4. It is included in the doctrines already stated, that mankind have 
had a fair probation in Adam, their head and representative ; and that 
we are not to consider God as placing them on their probation in the 
very first dawn of their intellectual and moral existence, and under cir- 
cumstances (or " a divine constitution") which secure the certainty of 
their sinning. Such a probation could hardly deserve the name. 

5. It is also included in the doctrine of this portion of Scripture, that 
mankind is an unit, in the sense in which an army, in distinction from a 
mob, is one ; or as a nation, a community, or a family, is one, in opposition 
to a mere fortuitous collection of individuals. Hence the frequent and ex- 
tensive transfer of the responsibility and consequences of the acts of the 
heads of these communities to their several members, and from one member 
to others. This is a law which pervades the whole moral government and 
providential dispensations of God. We are not like the separate grains 
of wheat in a measure ; but links in a complicated chain. All influence 
the destiny of each ; and each influences the destiny of all. 



ROMANS 5: 12—21. 137 

6. The design of the apostle being to illustrate the nature and to con- 
firm the certainty of our justification, it is the leading doctrine of this 
passage, that our acceptance with God is founded neither on our faith 
nor our good works, but on the obedience or righteousness of Christ, 
which to us is a free gift. This is the fundamental doctrine of the gos- 
pel, vs. 18, 19. 

7. The dreadful evil of sin is best seen in the fall of Adam, and in the 
cross of Christ. By the one offence of one man what a waste of ruin 
has been spread over the whole world ! How far beyond conception the 
misery that one act occasioned ! There was no adequate remedy for this 
evil but the death of the Son of God, vs. 12, 15, 16, &c. 

8. It is the prerogative of God to bring good out of evil, and to make 
the good triumph over the evil. From the fall has sprung redemption, 
and from redemption results which eternity alone can disclose, vs. 20, 21. 

REMARKS. 

1. Every man should bow down before God under the humiliating 
consciousness that he is a member of an apostate race ; the son of a re- 
bellious parent; born estranged from God, and exposed to his displea- 
sure, vs. 12, 15, 16, "^c. 

2. Every man should thankfully embrace the means provided for his 
restoration to the divine favour, viz. " the abundance of grace and gift of 
righteousness," v. 17. 

3. Those that perish, perish not because the sin of Adam has brought 
them under condemnation ; nor because no adequate provision has been 
made for their recovery ; but because they will not receive the offered 
mercy, v. 17. 

4. For those who refuse the proffered righteousness of Christ, and in- 
sist on trusting to their own righteousness, the evil of sin, and God's 
determination to punish it, show there can be no reasonable hope ; while, 
for those who humbly receive this gift, there can be no rational ground 
of fear, v. 15. 

5. If, without personal participation in the sin of Adam, all men are 
subject to death, may we not hope that, without personal acceptance of 
the righteousness of Christ, all who die in infancy are saved 1 

6. We should never yield to temptation on the ground that the sin to 
which we are solicited appears to be a trifle (merely eating a forbidden 
fruit) ; or that it is but for once. Remember the one offence of one 
man. How often has a man, or a family, been ruined for ever by one 
sin ! V. 12. 

7. Our dependence on Jesus Christ is entire, and our obligations to 
him are infinite. It is through his righteousness, without the shadow of 
merit on our own part, that we are justified. He alone was adequate to 
restore the ruins of the fall. From those ruins he has built up a living 
temple, a habitation of God through the Spirit. 

8. We must experience the operation of the law, in producing the 

m2 



138 ROMANS 6: 1—11. 

knowledge and conviction of sin, in order to be prepared for the appre- 
ciation and reception of the work of Christ. The church and the world 
were prepared by the legal dispensation of the Old Testament for the 
gracious dispensation of the New, v. 20. 

9. We should open our hearts to the large prospects of purity and bless- 
edness presented in the gospel ; the victory of grace over sin and death, 
which is to be consummated in the triumph of true religion, and in the 
eternal salvation of those multitudes, out of every tribe and kindred, 
which no man can number, v. 21. 



CHAPTER VI. 



CONTENTS. 



As the gospel reveals the only effectual method of justification, so also 
it alone can secure the sanctification of men. To exhibit this truth is the 
object of this and the following chapter. The sixth is partly argumenta- 
tive, and partly exhortatory. In verses 1 — 11 the apostle shows how 
unfounded is the objection, that gratuitous justification leads to the in- 
dulgence of sin. In vs. 12 — 23 he exhorts Christians to live agreeably 
to the nature and design of the gospel ; and presents various considera- 
tions adapted to secure their obedience to this exhortation. 

CHAP. 6: 1—11. 

^What shall we say then] Shall we continue in sin, that grace may 
abound ? ^God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any 
longer therein 1 ^j^now ye not, that so many of us as were baptized inta 
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death 1 ^Therefore we are buried 
with him by baptism into death : that like as Christ was raised up from 
the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in 
newness of life. ^For if we have been planted together in the likeness 
of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection : know- 
ing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin 
might be destroyed, and that henceforth we should not serve sin. ''For 
he that is dead is freed from sin. ^Now if we be dead with Christ, we 
believe that we shall also live with him : ^knowing that Christ being 
raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over 
him. ^°For in that he died, he died unto sin once : but in that he liveth, 
he liveth unto God. ^^Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead 
indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



The most common, the most plausible, and yet the most unfounded 
objection to the doctrine of justification by faith, is, that it allows men to 



ROMANS 6: 1—11. 139 

live in sin that grace may abound. This objection arises from ignorance 
of the doctrine in question, and of the nature and means of sanctification. 
It is so preposterous in the eyes of an enlightened believer, that Paul 
deals with it rather by exclamations at its absurdity, than with logical 
arguments. The main idea of this section is, that such is the nature of 
the believer's union with Christ, that his living in sin is not merely an 
inconsistency, but a contradiction in terms, as much so as speaking, of a 
live dead man, or a good bad one. Union with Christ, being the only 
source of holiness, cannot be the source of sin. In v. 1 the apostle pre- 
sents the objection. In v. 2 he declares it to be unfounded, and exclaims 
at its absurdity. In vs. 3, 4 he exhibits the true nature and design of 
Christianity, as adapted and intended to produce newness of life. In 
vs. 5 — 7 he shows that such is the nature of union with Christ, that it 
is impossible for any one to share the benefits of his death without being 
conformed to his life. Such being the case, he shows, vs. 8 — 11, that 
as Christ's death on account of sin was for once, never to be repeated; 
and his life a life devoted to God ; so our separation from sin is final, 
and our life a life consecrated to God. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) What shall we say then? What inference is to be drawn from 
the doctrine of the gratuitous acceptance of sinners, or justification with- 
out works by faith in the righteousness of Christ? 

Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? i. e. be more con- 
spicuously displayed. The form in which the objection to the apostle's 
doctrine is here presented, is evidently borrowed from the close of the 
preceding chapter. Paul had there spoken of the grace of the gospel 
being the more conspicuous and abundant in proportion to the evils which 
it removes. It is no fair inference from the fact that God has brought so 
much good out of the fall and sinfulness of men, that they may continue 
in sin. Neither can it be inferred from the fact that he accepts of sin- 
ners, on the ground of the merit of Christ, instead of their own (which 
is the way in which grace abounds), that they may sin without restraint. 

(2) God forbid^ in the Greek, let it not be. Paul's usual mode of 
expressing denial and abhorrence. Such an inference is not to be thought 
of. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ? How 
can good men be bad men 1 or, how can the dead be alive ? It is a con- 
tradiction and an absurdity, that those who are dead to sin should live in 
it. There are two points to be here considered. The first is the sense 
in which Christians are said, to be dead to sin ; and the second, the proof 
(vs. 3, 4) that such is really the case with all true believers. The words 
rendered we that are dead to sin (we that have died to die), may mean 
have died on account of sin, or in respect to sin. The latter is more con- 
sistent with the usual force of the expression, as in the phrases, " dead 
to the law ;" " dead to sins," &c. &c., which mean free from, delivered 
from the influence of. In this case probably the apostle intended to 



140 ROMANS 6: 1—11. 

express the general idea that our connexion with sin had been effectually 
broken off. This is effected, as he immediately teaches, by the death ot 
Christ. His meaning, therefore, is, ' How can those who, in virtue of 
their union with Christ, have been effectually freed from the dominion 
of sin, live any longer therein V It enters into the very idea of a Chris- 
tian that he should be thus dead to sin, and his living in it consequently 
involves a contradiction. 

(3) Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus 
Christy were baptized into his death P In this and the following verse 
we have something more in the form of argument in answer to the objec- 
tion in question. The apostle reminds his readers that the very design 
of Christianity was to deliver men from sin ; that every one who em- 
braced it, embraced it for this very object; and, therefore, it was a con- 
tradiction in terms to suppose that any should come to Christ to be de- 
livered from sin in order that they might live in it. And, besides this, 
it is clearly intimated that such is not only the design of the gospel, and 
the object for which it is embraced by all who cordially receive it, but 
also that the result or necessary effect of union with Christ is a partici- 
pation in the benefits of his death. 

TVere baptized into Jesus Christ. In the phrase to be baptized into 
any one, the word rendered into has its usual force as indicating the ob- 
ject, design, or result for which any thing is done. To be baptized into 
Jesus Christ, or unto Moses, or Paul, therefore, means to be baptized in 
order to be united to Christ, or Moses, or Paul, as their followers, the 
recipients of their doctrines, and expectants of the blessings which they 
have to bestow ; see Matt. 28 : 19. 1 Cor. 10 : 2. 1 Cor. 1 : 13. In like 
manner, in the expression baptized into his death, the preposition ex- 
presses the design and the result. The meaning, therefore, is, ' we were 
baptized in order that we should die with him,' i. e. that we should be 
united to him in his death, and partakers of its benefits. Thus " bap- 
tism unto repentance," Matt. 3 : 11, is baptism in order to repentance; 
" baptism unto the remission of sins," Mark 1 : 4, that remission of sins 
may be obtained; "baptized into one body," 1 Cor. 12: 13, i. e. that 
we might become one body, &c. The idea of the whole verse, there- 
fore, is, ' That as many as have been baptized into Jesus Christ, have 
become intimately united with him, so that they are united with him in his 
death, conformed to its object, and participate in the blessings for which 
he died.' Much to the same effect the apostle says, Gal. 3: 27, "As 
many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ," i. e. have 
become intimately united to him. Paul uses the expression baptizedinto 
Christ, not for the mere external or formal profession of the religion of 
the gospel, but for the cordial reception of it, of which submission to the 
rite of baptism was the public and appointed expression. The meaning, 
therefore, is, that those who have sincerely embraced Jesus Christ, have 
done it so as to be united to him, conformed to his image and the design 
for which he died. Christ died in order that he might destroy the works 



ROMANS 6: 1—11. 141 

of the devil, 1 John 3:8; to save his people from their sins, and to pu- 
rify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2 : 14. 

(4) Therefore we are buried by baptism into death, that like as Christ 
was raised up, &;c. ' Such being the nature and design of the gospel, 
if we accept of Christ at all, it is that we should die with him ; i. e. that 
we should attain the object for which he died, viz. deliverance from sin ;' 
or, to use the apostle's figurative expression, that as Christ was raised 
from the dead, we also might walk in newness of life. 

The words into death are evidently to be connected with the word 
baptism ; it is bi/ a baptism unto death that we are united to Christ, as 
stated in the preceding verse. We are said to be buried with Christ ; 
i. e. we are effectually united to him in his death. The same idea is ex- 
pressed in V. 8, by saying " we are dead with him ;" and in v. 5, by 
saying we are " planted together in the likeness of his death." It does 
not seem necessary to suppose that there is any allusion to the mode of 
baptism, as though that rite was compared to a burial. No such allu- 
sion can be supposed in the next verse, where w.e are said to be planted 
with him. Baptism is, throughout this passage, as in Gal. 3 : 27, taken 
for the reception of Christ, of which it is the appointed acknowledg- 
ment. The point of the comparison is not between our baptism and the 
burial and resurrection of Christ ; but between our death to sin and rising 
to holiness ; and the death and resurrection of the Redeemer. As Paul 
had expressed, in v. 2, the idea of the freedom of believers from sin, by 
the figurative phrase " dead to sin," he carries the figure consistently 
through ; and says, that by our reception of Christ we became united to 
him in such a way as to die as he died, and to rise as he rose. As he 
died unto sin (for its destruction), so do we ; and as he rose unto new- 
ness of life, so do we. 

Christ is said to have been raised up by the glory of the Father. Some 
would render these words on account of the glory, &c. But this is in- 
consistent with usage. They either are equivalent to glorious Father, 
see ch. 1 : 23, 25 ; or the word rendered glory may be used for power or 
might, as in the Septuagint, Isa. 12 : 2. 45 : 24. Compare Col. 1 : 11. 
Even so lue also should walk in newiiess of Vfe. These words express 
the design for which we receive Christ or were baptized unto him ; it is 
that we should exhibit that new life which we receive from him, and 
which is analogous to his own, inasmuch as it is unending and devoted 
unto God ; see vs. 9, 10, where this idea is more fully expressed. 

(5) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, 
&c. As the preceding verse had declared the object of our union with 
Christ to be newness of life; this verse exhibits the necessary connex- 
ion between the means and the end, by showing that we cannot be united 
to Christ in his death, without being united to him also in his resurrec- 
tion. 

For if we have been planted together. The original word here used 
means properly connate, bom together ,• but it is applied variously to 



143 ROMANS 6: 1—11. 

things intimately united, as things growing together, to branches of the 
same tree, limbs of the same body, &c. &c. The idea, therefore, here 
expressed by it, is an intimate and vital union with Christ, such as exists 
between a vine and its branches. Compare John 15 : 1 — 8. 

In the likeness of his death ,■ i. e. in a death similar to his. We die 
as he died. This results from the fact of our intimate union with him. 
Hence, in v. 6, we are said " to be crucified with him ;" and, in v. 8, 
"to be dead with him." If we are so united to Christ as to die with 
him (i. e. to obtain the benefits of his death), we also die as he died. 
This accounts for the introduction of the word likeness, expressive of a 
comparison between our death to sin and the death of Christ. But we 
experience this similar or spiritual death only because of the union with 
Christ, in virtue of which his death was, in the sight of God, equivalent 
to our death. 

We shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. The future tense, 
shall, does not here express obligation merely, but also and mainly the 
certainty of the result. 'If united to Christ in his death, we shall be 
also in his resurrection. That is, we shall experience a resurrection 
similar to his, viz. an entrance on a new, glorious, and perpetual life.' 
That a spiritual resurrection is here principally intended, seems very 
plain, both from the preceding and succeeding context. And yet the idea 
of the future resurrection of the body is not to be entirely excluded. 
Paul, in ch. 8:11, brings the resurrection of the body forward as a ne- 
cessary consequence of our union with Christ, or of our having the Spirit 
of life dwelling in us. The meaning probably is, that if we are true 
Christians, baptized into the death of Christ, united and conformed to 
him in this respect, the necessary result will be that the life of Christ 
will be manifested in us by a holy and devoted life here, by a life of glo- 
rious immortality, and by the resurrection of the body hereafter. All 
this is included in the life consequent on our union with Christ. 

(6) Knowing this, that our old man was crucified, with him, &c. 
This verse is either an amplification or confirmation of the preceding. 
* If united with the Lord Jesus,' says the apostle, ' in his death, we 
shall be in his life, for we know that we are crucified with him for this 
very reason, viz. that the body of sin might be destroyed.' In this view 
of the passage it is little more than an amplification of v. 5. But it 
may also be viewed thus, ' We are sure we shall be conformed to the life 
of Christ, because we know that our old corruptions have been destroyed 
by his death, in order that we should no longer serve them.' This verse 
^hen assigns the reason for the assertion contained in the last clause of 
the fifth. 

The phrase old man generally means the natural corruption, or unholy 
aflfections of men. See E ph. 4 : 22, " Put ye off the old man which is cor- 
rupt ;" Col. 3:9, " Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put oflf the old 
man with his deeds, and have put on the new man." The apostle then 
says, that Christians know that the effect of union with Christ is the de- 



ROMANS 6: 1—11. 143 

struction of the power of sin. There is probably no allusion in the use of 
the word crucijied^ either to the slowness or painfulness of that particu- 
lar mode of death, as though the apostle meant to intimate that the de- 
struction of sin was a gradual and painful process. This indeed is true, 
but is not here expressed. The simple expression " dead with him," is 
substituted for this word in v. 8, and in Gal. 2 : 20, " I am crucified with 
Christ," contains no such allusion. It is more probable, as Calvin re- 
marks, that the word is used to intimate that it is solely in virtue of our 
participation in the death of Christ that we are delivered from the power 
of sin. 

That the body of sin might he destroyed. The expression body of sin 
is probably a mere paraphrase for sin itself, see Col. 2:11; yet it is no 
doubt used with design, as sin is spoken of as a person that dies, whose 
members we are to mortify, and whom we are no longer to serve. The 
destruction of sin results from the death of Christ, inasmuch as we are 
thereby reconciled to God, and brought under the influence of all the 
considerations which flow from the doctrine of redemption, see v. 14; 
and because his death secures for us the Holy Spirit, who is the source 
of all holiness, ch. 8: 3, 4, 9. 

That henceforth we should not serve sin, i. e. be slaves to it. This 
clause expresses at once the result and design of the destruction of the 
power of sin. Paul's whole argument then in these two verses is, ' Such 
is the nature of our union with Christ, that if we partake of the benefits 
of his death, and are conformed to him in this respect, we shall certainly 
be conformed to his life ; because by his death the power of sin is 
destroyed.' 

(7) For he that is dead is free from sin. The meaning of this verse is 
somewhat doubtful. It may be considered as merely a statement of a 
general truth, designed for the illustration and confirmation of what Paul 
had just said. 'Death puts a final stop to all activity in this world. 
He that dies is entirely separated from all former pursuits and objects ; 
they have lost all power over him, and he all interest in them. To be 
dead to sin, therefore, expresses a full and final separation from it.' Or 
the meaning may be this, ' What has just been said is true, for he that is 
dead with Christ is judicially free from sin; its power and authority are 
destroyed, as effectually as the authority of a husband over his wife (ch. 
7: 3, 4), or of a master over his slave (v. 18), is destroyed by death.' 
There are three ways, therefore, in which this verse may be explained. 
1. As expressing a mere general truth. 2. By supplying, after the word 
dead the words to sin, ' He that is dead to sin, is free from it.' 3. By 
supplying the words with Christ, ' He that is dead with Christ is free 
from sin.' This last method seems the preferable one, on account of the 
relation of this verse to vs. 6, 8, " He that is dead (with Christ) is free 
from sin, for if we be dead with Christ, we believe we shall also live 
with him." 

7s free from sin ; literally, is justtjied from sin. Is Justified from 



144 ROMANS 6: 1—11. 

sin means, is pardoned, is freed from the guilt and punishment of 
sin by justification. This verse then assigns a very important reasor 
for the truth which the apostle had so frequently stated, viz. that 
the believer could not live in sin. ' For he that is dead with Christ 
is thereby justified, and freed from the punishment of sin ; he is thus 
reconciled to God; and as reconciliation and communion with God 
are the true sources of holiness, he is also freed from sin.' This inter- 
pretation is confirmed by the next verse, in which our dying with Christ 
is represented as securing our living with him. See Gal. 2: 19, 20. 6 : 
14. Col. 2 : 6. 3:3. 1 Pet. 4 : 1. In all these passages, with more or 
less distinctness, the death of Christ, and believers dying with him, are 
represented as the ground and cause of their living unto God. 

Verses 8 — 11. These verses contain the application of the truth taught 
in the preceding passage. ' If we are dead with Christ, we shall share 
in his life. If he lives, we shall live also. As his life is perpetual, it 
secures the continued supplies of life to all his members. Death has no 
more donainion over him. Having died unto, or on account of sin once, 
he now ever lives to, and with God. His people, therefore, must be 
conformed to him ; dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God.' This 
passage does not contain a mere comparison between the literal death 
and resurrection of Christ, and the spiritual death and resurrection of 
believers, but it exhibits the connexion between the death and life of the 
Redeemer and the sanctification of his people. 

(8) Now if we be dead ivith Christ, &c. If the truth stated in the pre- 
ceding verses is admitted, viz. that our union with Christ is such that 
his death secures our deliverance from the penalty and power of sin, rve 
believe we shall also live with him. That is, we are sure that the con- 
sequences of his death are not merely negative, i. e. not simply deliver- 
ance from evil, moral and physical, but also a participation in his life. 
To live with Christ, therefore, includes two ideas, association with him, 
and similarity to him. We partake of his life, and consequently our life 
is like his. In like manner, since we die with him, we die as he died. 
So, too, when we are said to reign luith him, to be glorified together, both 
these ideas, are included; see ch. 8: 17, and many similar passages. 
The life here spoken of is that "eternal life" which believers are said to 
possess even in this world; see John 3 : 36. 5 : 24; and which is mani- 
fested here by devotion to God, and hereafter in the purity and blessed- 
ness of heaven. It includes, therefore, all the consequences of redemption. 

(9) Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more. 
The perpetuity of Christ's life is presented, 1. As the ground of assur- 
ance of the perpetuity of the life of believers. We shall partake of the 
life of Christ, i. e. of the spiritual and eternal blessings of redemption, 
because he ever lives to make intercession for us, and to grant us those 
supplies of grace which we need, see ch. 5 : 10. John 14 : 19. 1 Cor. 
15 : 23, &c. &c. As death has no more dominion over him, there is nc 
ground of apprehension that our supplies of life shall be cut oiF. Tliis 



ROMANS 6: 1—11. 145 

verse, therefore, is introduced as the ground of the declaration "we shall 
live with him," at the close of v. 8. 2. The perpetuity of the life of 
Christ is one of the points in which our life is to be conformed to his. 

(10) For in that he died, he died unto sin once, &c. This verse is an 
amplification and explanation of the preceding. Christ's life is perpe- 
tual, inasmuch as his dying unto sin was for once only ; but as he lives, 
he lives for ever in the presence, and to the glory of God. It is evident 
that Christ's dying unto sin must be understood in a different sense from 
that in which we are said to die unto sin. The dative probably here, as 
so often elsewhere, expresses the ground or reason for which any thing 
is done; see on v. 2, ' He died on account of sin.' The phrase, there- 
fore, is to be understood as those in Gal. 1 : 4. Rom. 4: 25, &c. &c., 
where he is said to have died for sin, i. e. for its expiation and destruc- 
tion. This sacrifice, unlike the impotent oflTerings under the law, was 
so efiicacious that it never need be repeated ; and therefore Christ, having 
once sufiered death, is never again to be subject to its dominion, Heb. 9 : 
28. 1 Pet. 3 : 18. 

But in that he liveth, he Kveth unto God. The structure of this sentence 
is antithetical, agreeably to Paul's manner, see ch. 5 : 10 ; and this 
accounts for the form of the expression he liveth unto God, which is 
opposed to the phrase he died unto sin. Christ lives to the glory of God 
and in communion with him. This is the second point in which our 
life is to be conformed to his. It is to be not only perpetual, i. e. with- 
out relapse into spiritual death, but also devoted to the service and enjoy- 
ment of God. 

(11) This verse contains an inference from the preceding discussion, 
and an application of it to the case of Christians. If Christ has died for 
the destruction and expiation of sin, and if all who belong to him are 
united to him in his death so as to have their sins expiated and destroyed ; 
and if, moreover, their head, in whom they live, has risen to a new and 
endless life of glory and holiness, then let Christians view their relation 
to Christ in its true light, and live accordingly. 

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves as dead indeed, unto sin, &c. That 
.s, regard yourselves as having died with Christ for deliverance from the 
guilt of sin, see vs. 5, 6, 8 ; and also for the destruction of its power, see 
vs. 6, 7. But alive unto God. Let believers consider themselves par- 
takers not only of the death of Christ, but also of his life. As his life 
is perpetual and devoted unto God, so also must theirs be. Through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. It is through Christ that we die unto sin, and 
live unto God. It is not we that live, but Christ who liveth in us, Gal. 
2 : 19. The words rendered through Christ may be more literally trans- 
lated in Christ, i. e. it is in virtue of union with him that we die unto sin 
and live unto God. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. Truth cannot lead to unholiness. If a doctrine encourages sin U 

N 



146 ROMANS 6: 1—11. 

2. There can be no greater contradiction and absurdity than for one 
who lives in sin to claim to be a Christian, v. 2. 

3. Antinomianism is not only an error, it is a falsehood and a slander. 
It pronounces valid the very objection against the gospel which Paul 
pronounces a contradiction and absurdity, and which he evidently regards 
as a fatal objection, were it well founded, vs. 2, 3, 4, &c. 

4. Baptism includes a profession of the religion taught by him in 
whose name we are baptized, and an obligation to obey his laws, vs. 3, 4. 

5. The grand design of Christianity is the destruction of sin. When 
sincerely embraced, therefore, it is with a view to this end, v. 3. 

6. The source of the believer's holiness is his union with Christ, by 
which his reconciliation to God, and his participation of the influences 
of the Holy Spirit, are secured, vs. 4, 6. 

7. The fact that Christ lives is sufficient security that his people shall 
live in holiness here, and in glory hereafter, v. 8. 

8. The only proper evidence that we are the partakers of the benefits 
of the death and life of Christ, is our dying to sin and living to God, 
v. 11, and the whole section. 

9. The gospel, which teaches the only true method of justification, is 
the only system which can secure the sanctification of men. This is not 
only the doctrine of this section, but it is the leading truth of this and the 
following chapter. 



1. As the most prominent doctrinal truth of this passage is, that the 
death of Christ secures the destruction of sin wherever it secures its par- 
don, so the most obvious practical inference is, that it is vain to hope 
for the latter benefit, unless we labour for the full attainment of the 
former, vs. 2 — 11. 

2. For a professing Christian to live in sin, is not only to give posi- 
tive evidence that he is not a real Christian, but it is to misrepresent and 
slander the gospel of the grace of God, to the dishonour of religion and 
the injury of the souls of men, vs. 2 — 11. 

3. Instead of holiness being in order to pardon, pardon is in order to 
holiness. This is the mystery of evangelical morals, v. 4, &c. 

4. The only eifectual method of gaining the victory over our sins, is 
to live in communion with Jesus Christ; to regard his death as securing 
the pardon of sin, as restoring us to the divine favour, and as procuring 
for us the influences of the Holy Spirit. It is those who thus look to 
Christ, not only for pardon but holiness, that are successful in subduing 
sin ; while the legalist remains its slave, rs. 6, 8. 

5. It is a consolation to the believer to know that, if he has the evi- 
dence of being now a Christian, he may be sure that he shall live with 
Christ. As long and as surely as the head lives, so long and so surely 
must all the members live, v. 8, &c. 



ROMANS 6 : 12—23. 147 

6. To be in Christ is the source of the Christian's life ; to be like 
Christ is the sum of his excellence; and to be with Christ is the fulness 
of his joy, vs. 2 — 11, 

CHAP. 6: 12—23. 

*2Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey 
it in the lusts thereof. ^^Neither yield ye your members as instruments 
of unrighteousness unto sin : but yield yourselves unto God, as those 
that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of right- 
eousness unto God. ^*For sin shall not have dominion over you : for ye 
are not under the law, but under grace. ^^What thenl shall we sin, be- 
cause we are not under the law, but under grace 1 God forbid, ^^Know 
ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants 
ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience 
unto righteousness 1 ^7But God be thanked, that ye were the servants 
of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which 
was delivered you. ^^Being then made free from sin, ye became the 
servants of righteousness. ^^I speak after the manner of men because of 
the infirmity of your flesh : for as ye have yielded your members ser- 
vants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity ; even so now yield 
your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. ^^For when ye 
were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. ^^What fruit 
had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed 1 for the end 
of those things is death. ^^But now being made free from sin, and be- 
come servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end 
everlasting life. ^apoj. ^j^g wages of sin is death ; but the gift of God 
is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, 

ANALYSIS, 

Paul, having shown, in the preceding section, that union with Christ 
secures not only the pardon, but the destruction of sin, exhorts his bre- 
thren to live agreeably to the nature and design of the gospel, vs. 12, 13. 
As an encouragment in their efforts to resist their corruptions, he assures 
them that sin shall not have dominion over them, because they are not 
under the law, but under grace, v. 14. This is another fundamental prin- 
ciple in the doctrine of sanctification. Holiness is not attained and can- 
not be attained by those who, being under the law, are still unreconciled 
to God. It is necessary that we should enjoy his favour in order to ex- 
ercise towards him right affections. This doctrine is not justly liable 
to the objection, that we may sin with impunity if not under the law, 
V. 15. The true situation of the Christian is illustrated by a reference 
to the relation between a servant and his master. Believers, before con- 
version, were the servants of sin ; after it, they are the servants of right- 
eousness. Formerly they were under an influence which secured their 
obedience to evil ; now they are under an influence whicn secures their 
obedience to good. The consequence of the former service was death ; 



148 ROMANS 6; 12—23. 

of the present, life. The knowledge of these consequences tends 
to secure the continued fidelity of the Christian to his new master, 
vs. 16—23. 

COMMENTARY. 

(12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, ha. * Seeing 
that the design and nature of the gospel are such as stated in the pre- 
ceding section, those who profess to have embraced that system, or to 
be united to Christ, should show the evidence of their union by holiness 
of life.' To reign, of course, signifies to exercise uncontrolled autho- 
rity. The exhortation is, that Christians should not recognise or yield to 
this authority of sin. The words mortal body admit of various interpre- 
tations. They may be a mere paraphrase for you, ' Let not sin reign in 
you.' So, in the next verse, your members may stand for yourselves. 
2. Others take the word mortal in the same figurative sense in which 
the word dead is used, i. e. for corrupt. But, in this sense, mortal 
nowhere else occurs. 3. Others again take body, in the sense o^ flesh, 
for corrupt nature. But this also is contrary to usage. It is most proba- 
ble, therefore, that the words are to be retained in their literal and proper 
meaning. " Let not sin reign in or over your body." This includes 
the idea that the body is the instrument of sin ; or that it is by the ac- 
tions of the body that the existence and dominion of indwelling sin is, 
in a great measure, manifested ; and especially that a great part of sin 
consists in yielding to the appetites or desires of the body. This latter 
idea is clearly expressed in the following clause, that ye should obey it 
(sin) in the lusts thereof (the body). We should not allow sin to reign ; 
that is, we should not obey it, by yielding to the desires of the body. 

(13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness 
unto sin, &c. The word rendered to yield unto means, to give up to the 
use and control of; see Matt. 26 ; 53. The word members includes the 
faculties of the mind as well as the members of the body ; compare 
Col. 3 : 5, "Mortify your members which are upon the earth," &c. 
The expression is a paraphrase for yourselves ; which word is substituted 
for it in the next clause. There is, however, an obvious reference to the 
preceding verse and the expression your body. The exhortation, there- 
fore, is not to yield ourselves up to sin as instruments for doing evil. 
The word rendered instruments, though it most frequently means arms, is 
used for implements of any kind and for any purpose. 

But yield yourselves unto God, give yourselves up to the use and con- 
trol of God. As those that are alive from the dead. This clause, which 
is descriptive both of the state and character of believers, is evidently 
derived from the preceding representation of Christians as being dead 
with Christ unto sin, and living with him unto God. They are required 
to act as those who are partakers of the life of Christ; as those whom 
God has quickened and made to sit together in heavenly places with 
Christ Jesus, Eph. 2 : 5, 6. And your members, your faculties of mind 



ROMANS 6: 12—23. 149 

and body, as instruments of righteousness unto God. This clause is sim- 
ply explanatory of the former. 

(14) For sin shall not have dominion over you, &c. This clause is vari- 
ously explained. Some make the future here to express obligation, ' Sin 
ought not to have dominion over you.' But this is not the natural force 
of the words ; and, in this case, it is not only unnecessary, but inconsis- 
tent with the context, inasmuch as the following clause " ye are not under 
law," &c. would, in a great measure, lose its force. The common inter- 
pretation gives a much better sense, ' Live devoted to God, be faithful in 
your efforts to live to his glory, for you shall be successful ; sin shall not 
have dominion over you.' Then follows the ground of this assurance. 

For ye are not under the law, but under grace. To be under the law 
means to be under its authority, see Gal. 4: 2, 4; and to be under its 
constraining influence, see Rom. 3 : 9. Both ideas are here included. 
We are not under the authority of the law, nor have we a legal spirit. 
We are not only free from its objective authority, but from its subjective 
influence. That the law here does not mean the Mosaic law or dispensa- 
tion merely, is evident, 1. From the absence of the article in the Greek. 
Paul would have said, ' ye are not under the law,' and not so generally, 
* ye are not under law,' had he referred especially to the law of Moses. 
2. The sense afforded does not suit the context. Freedom from the 
Mosaic institutions is no security that sin shall not have dominion over 
us. 3. The opposition to the word grace shows that this cannot be the 
apostle's meaning. Grace, here, as in ch. 5 : 2, means state of favour. 
To be under grace, therefore, is to be under a gracious dispensation, or in 
a state of reconciliation with God. To be under law, on the other hand, 
means to be in a legal state, or under a legal dispensation. 4. This inter 
pretation is inconsistent with the apostle's doctrines and reasoning 
throughout the epistle. It is not the Mosaic law and ceremonial works 
which he declares to be insufflcient, but any law and any works. As the 
form, however, in which a legal spirit manifested itself in the days of the 
apostles, was by a desire to enforce the law of Moses, the expression has 
often a special reference to the Old Testament economy, see Gal. 4:11. 
The law means the whole rule of duty of which the Mosaic institutions 
were for a long time a prominent part; but to restrict the term in this 
connexion to that part, is inconsistent with the scope of the apostle's argu- 
ment, and with the nature of the gospel as the means of deliverance, not 
from ceremonial observances only, but from the obligation of the law as 
a rule of justification. 

Believers, therefore, are not under the law as the rule which prescribes 
the condition of their acceptance with God ; nor are they under the influ- 
ence of a legal spirit. They are under grace, inasmuch as they are under 
a dispensation which proffers to them gratuitous acceptance, and, being 
reconciled to God, they are under the constraining influence of his love. 
The great principle of evangelical obedience is therefore taught in this 
passage. Holiness is not the result of the law, but of the liberty where- 

n2 



150 ROMANS 6: 12—23. 

with Christ has made us free. While under the law, our spirit is legal 
and slavish ; and our works are works of constraint and fear. When 
under grace, our spirit is filial and free (ch. 8 : 15) ; and our works spon- 
taneous and cordial. Paul teaches this doctrine at length in the next 
chapter, and shows that the freedom from the law, which the legal 
moralist says must lead to licentiousness, is essential to holiness. 

(15) TVhat then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but 
under grace ? God forbid. Paul evinces constantly his anxiety to avoid 
misapprehension, and to show that freedom from the law is very different 
from being free from moral obligation. He, therefore, for the second 
time, denies that the Hiberty of the gospel is a liberty to sin. As the 
illustration and confirmation of the principle of v. 14, are formally resumed 
at the beginning of the next chapter, the apostle contents himself here 
with proving the unsoundness of the objection presented in this verse, by 
showing that it is as impossible for the Christian to live in sin, as for the 
slave of one man to be obedient to another ; or for a man to serve two 
masters at the same time. 

(16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his 
servants ye are to whom ye obey, &c. ' Know ye not that those who obey 
sin are its slaves ; hurried on from one degrading service to another, until 
it works their ruin ; but that those who serve holiness are constrained, 
though sweetly, to constancy and fidelity, until the glorious consummation 
of their course V As a servant or slave is under an influence which 
secures obedience to his master, so also, in spiritual or moral relations, a 
man who serves sin is under an influence which secures the continuance 
of his obedience, and he who serves holiness is under an influence which 
effectually secures the constancy of his service. This being the case, 
it is not possible for the Christian or servant of holiness to be found 
engaged in the service of sin. The language and the construction are 
here nearly the same as in v. 13. To yield ourselves as servants unto any 
one, is to give ourselves up to his authority and control. All unrenewed 
men give themselves up to sin under one form or another. They are. 
therefore, its slaves, kept faithful to this service, and reap its final reward. 
Christians, on the other hand, give themselves up to holiness, and are 
kept faithful and receive their reward. This is more fully expressed in 
the next clause. 

Whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. The ex- 
pression servants of obedience is very unusual. From the opposition, how- 
ever, between sin and obedience, the latter must mean holiness or goodness 
in general, although no precisely similar use of the word occurs, see ch. 
5 : 19. In like manner, from the antithesis between death and righteous" 
ness, the one being the result of sin, and the other of obedience, it is 
evident that the latter must be taken metonymically for the effects of 
righteousness, i. e. the favour of God, happiness, the opposite of death 

(17) But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin; but ye have 
obeyed from the heart, &c. As it is the apostle's object to show that 



ROMANS 6: 12—23. .51 

believers cannot live in sin, inasmuch as they have become the servants 
of another master, he applies the general truth stated in the preceding 
verses more directly to his immediate readers, and gives thanks that they, 
being emancipated from their former bondage, are now bound to a master 
whose service is perfect liberty. The expression in the first member of 
this verse is somewhat unusual, although the sense is plain. ' God be 
thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but,' &c. for ' God be thanked, 
that ye, being the servants of sin, have obeyed,' &c. 

But ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was 
delivered unto you. The construction of the original is here doubtful and 
difficult. It may be resolved thus, ' Ye have obeyed that form of doctrine 
into which ye have been delivered, i. e. to which ye have become sub- 
jected.' Or the sentence may be thus explained, ' Ye have obeyed that 
form or doctrine which»was delivered unto you.' Compare Rom. 3 : 2. 
Gal. 2:7. ' Which was delivered unto you,"* for ' lohich ye had (or pos- 
sessed) delivered.'' The grammatical structure of the sentence is in this 
case entirely different from that assumed in the former explanation, but 
the sense is much the same. The general idea is, ye have obeyed, the 
doctrines which ye have received. 

Form of doctrine. Form, i. e. type, image, model, rule. The word has 
all these meanings. The last seems the best suited to this passage. 
They were obedient to the gospel as a rule of faith and practice. If even 
in ordinary cases a servant is obedient to his master, there is little reason 
to apprehend that Christians, who, from the heart have become obedient 
to the gospel, will relapse into the service of sin. 

(18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteous^ 
ness. Having been emancipated from one master, they became subject 
to another. The illustration is the same as in the preceding verses. It 
is absurd that a slave just emancipated should voluntarily return to his 
former bondage ; so it is absurd to suppose that the Christian, delivered 
from the bondage of sin, should return to it. For the service to which 
he is introduced is, in fact, liberty in its highest and truest sense. " If 
the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed," John 8 : 36. 

(19) / speak after the manner of men on account of the infirmity of 
your flesh, &c. The phrase / speak after the manner of men means, in 
this case, *I say what is common among men,' i. e. I use an illustration 
borrowed from the common affairs of life. The apostle appears to have 
felt that the illustration was inadequate and beneath the dignity of his 
subject. He, therefore, states why he used it. He was forced to bor- 
row a comparison from the relations of men on account of the infirmity 
of their flesh. This, according to the familiar scriptural idiom, means 
carnal infirmity. The two ideas of weakness and corruption are com- 
monly united in the scriptural use of the v/oxAfiesh. The apostle, there- 
fore, means to intimate that it was on account of a want of spiritual 
apprehension on the part of his readers, or because of a weakness 
arising from their being corrupt, that he was sbliged to use such figures. 



152 ROMANS 6: 12—23. 

What he seems to have regarded as incongruous, is the comparison of 
the believer's devotion to God and holiness, to a slavery, while it is 
a voluntary and delightful service. The point of the comparison, how- 
ever, is merely the devotion and constancy of the obedience. 

For as ye have yielded your members as servants to uncleanness and 
to iniquity, unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to 
righteousness, unto holiness. The word for, at the beginning of this 
clause, connects it with v. 18 ; the first part of this verse being paren- 
thetical. ' Being free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness, 
for as ye yielded your members to sin, so now have ye yielded them to 
righteousness.' The last clause of the verse Paul expresses exhorta- 
tively instead of declaratively, as the regular structure of the sentence 
would seem to require. Although the general sense of these clauses is 
perfectly obvious, there is some doubt as to the precise meaning of the 
apostle. The words unto iniquity and unto holiness, in the two members 
of the sentence, evidently correspond to each other. The preposition 
unto probably points out the result. ' Ye served uncleanness unto ini- 
quity, i. e. so as to become iniquitous ; even so ye serve righteousness 
unto holiness, i. e. so as to become holy.' This is the most natural in- 
terpretation. It is, however, possible to understand the phrases " ini- 
quity unto iniquity," and "righteousness unto holiness," as expressing 
the ideas of intensity and progress. Compare the expressions "death 
unto death," i. e. very deadly, and "life unto life," &c. 

(20) For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from right- 
eousness. This verse may be understood either as a mere statement of 
the fact, that when the servants of the one master they were not the ser- 
vants of the other ; or as referring to the state of feeling of those in- 
tended. ' When the servants of sin, ye felt indeed free from all the 
restraints of righteousness ; ye enjoyed a kind of liberty, but what is the 
fruit o such liberty ?' v. 21. According to this latter view, freedom 
from r ghteousness is regarded as a kind of advantage in the sinner's 
estimation, which Paul shows in the next verse to be of no value. The 
former view, however, seems the most simple and natural, as well as 
most consistent with the context, and with the use of for at the begin- 
ning of the verse. As a motive for obedience to the exhortation contained 
in V. 19, Paul reminds them that they were formerly the servants of a far 
different master, of the nature and results of whose service he speaks in 
the next verse. 

(21, 22) In these verses the apostle refers to the different character 
and results of the service of sin and holiness, as a reason for continued 
devotion to God. What fruit had ye then in those things of which yc 
are now ashamed? &,c. As thus translated and pointed, this clause can 
hardly have any other meaning than, ' What was the result of your for- 
mer service or mode of life V The answer to this question is found in 
the latter part of the verse, the end of those things is death. This sup, 
poses the words for those things or ivorks to be supplied, as they are not 



ROMANS 6 : 12—23. 153' 

expressed in the text. This interpretation gives a good sense, and is 
consistent with the use of the phrase to have fruit of, in the sense of 
deriving benefit from. 

For the end of those things is death. The sense of this clause depends 
on the preceding. If the interpretation of the former part of the «entence 
just given be adopted, those things must refer to the works of which the 
converted sinner is now ashamed. End means the result, that to which 
the things in question lead. Death here, as in v. 23 and elsewhere, 
stands for all the evils consequent on sin. 

(22) Bui nolo being made free from sin, and become the servants of 
God, &c. ' When the servants of sin, ye were employed in a way which 
ye now blush to remember, and which could end only in hopeless degra- 
dation and misery ; but now, being free from that bondage, and bound in 
sweet bonds to God, ye are enriched with holiness here, and have the 
certain prospect of eternal life hereafter.' Being free from sin, i. e. 
emancipated from bondage to it; see the corresponding phrase free from 
righteousness, v. 20. Become the servants of God, i. e. having become' 
slaves to God. It is the use of this word which led Paul to state why 
he was led to employ such an illustration, in some respects so little 
suited to the relation of the believer to God. The service is not slavish 
either in its motive or character. Still, it is faithful and well secured, 
and these ideas are the point of the comparison. 

Ye have your fruit unto holiness. Fruit unto holiness may be either 
fruit which is holiness, or fruit which tends to holiness, i. e. produces it. 
This is most natural. The result of the service of God is sanctification 
here, and eternal life hereafter, .dnd the end eternal life. Not only is 
this service the most elevated and blessed in its own nature, but its cer- 
tain consummation is eternal life. Life in all the senses in which Christ 
causes his people to live. 

(23) For the tvages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal 
life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The reason stated in this verse for 
the declaration of the preceding is, that sin earns and deserves death. 
There is as much an obligation in justice that death should be the conse- 
quence of sin, as that the labourer should have his hire. The result of 
the other service is equally sure, although on other grounds ; such is the 
purpose of God. Hell is always merited, heaven never. The connex- 
ion between sin and misery is that between labour and its just reward ; 
the connexion between obedience to God and eternal happiness is merely 
that of grace and congruity. ' Vessels of mercy prepared unto glory.' 
The preparation is of grace as well as the reward. Through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Jesus Christ and his gospel, then, instead of being the mi- 
nisters of sin, as their opposers so confidently asserted, effectually secure 
what the law never could accomplish, an obedience consisting in holi 
ness and resulting in eternal life. 



154 ROMANS 6: 12—23. 



DOCTRINES. 



1. The leading doctrine of this section, and of the whole gospel, in 
reference to sanctification, is, that grace, instead of leading to the indulg- 
ence of ^n, is essential to the exercise of holiness. So long as we are 
under the influence of a self-righteous or legal spirit, the motive and aim 
of all good works are wrong or defective. The motive is fear, or some 
merely natural affection, and the aim, to merit the bestowment of good. 
But when we accept of the gracious offers of the gospel, and feel that our 
sins are gratuitously pardoned, a sense of the divine love shed abroad in 
the heart by the Holy Spirit, awakens all holy affections. The motive 
to obedience is now love, and its aim the glory of God, v. 14, &c. 

2. Paul teaches that it is not only obligatory on Christians to renounce 
the service of sin, but that, in point of fact, the authority and power of 
their former master are destroyed, and those of their new master expe- 
rienced, whenever they embrace the gospel. This is the very nature of 
the change. The charge, therefore, that the gospel leads to the service 
of sin, is an absurdity, vs. 15 — 18. 

3. Religion is essentially active. It is the yielding up of ourselves, 
with all our powers, to God, and the actual employment of them as instru- 
ments in doing good. Nothing can be at a greater remove from this, 
than making religion a mere matter of indolent profession ; a saying Lord, 
Lord, V. 12, &c. 

4. Both from the nature of things, and the appointment of God, the 
wages of sin is death. It renders intercourse with God, who is the foun- 
tain of life, impossible. It consists in the exercise of feelings, in their 
own nature, inconsistent with happiness ; it constantly increases in ma- 
lignity and in power to destroy the peace of the soul. Apart from these 
essential tendencies, its relation to conscience and the justice of God, 
renders the connexion between sin and misery indissoluble. Salvation 
in sin is as much a contradiction, as happiness in misery, vs. 21, 23. 

5. Eternal life is the gift of God. It does not, like eternal death, 
flow, as a natural consequence, from any thing in us. With the holy 
angels, who have never lost the favour of God, this may be the case. 
But the tendency of all that belongs to us, is to death ; this must be coun- 
teracted ; those excellences, in which life consists and from which it 
flows, must be produced, sustained and strengthened by the constant, 
condescending, and long-suffering grace of the Holy Spirit. The life 
thus graciously produced and graciously sustained, is at last graciously 
crowned with eternal glory, vs. 22, 23. 



REMARKS. 



1. We should cultivate a sense of the divine favour as a means to holi- 
ness. We must cease to be slaves before we can be children. We must 
be free from the dominioo of fear before we can be under the government 
of love. A self-righteo b spirit, therefore, is not more inconsistent with 



ROMANS C: 12—23. 155 

reliance on the righteousness of Christ, in order to justification, than it 
is with the existence and progress of sanctification. Whatever tends to 
destroy a sense of the divine favour, must be inimical to holiness. Hence 
the necessity of keeping a conscience void of offence ; and of maintaining 
uninterrupted our union with Christ, as our sacrifice and advocate, 
V. 14, &c. 

2. Those Christians are under a great mistake, who suppose that de- 
spondency is favourable to piety. Happiness is one of the elements of 
life. Hope and joy are twin daughters of piety, and cannot, without 
violence and injury, be separated from their parent. To rejoice is as much 
a duty as it is a privilege, v. 14, &c. 

3. Sinners are slaves. Sin reigns over them ; and all their powers are 
delivered to this master as instruments of unrighteousness. He secures 
obedience with infallible certainty ; his bonds become stronger every day, 
and his wages are death. From his tyranny and recompense there is no 
deliverance by the law ; our only hope is in Jesus Christ our Lord, vs. 
12, 13, 16, &c. 

4. Christians are the servants of God. He reigns over them, and all 
their powers are consecrated to him. He, too, secures fidelity, and his 
bonds of love and duty become stronger every day. His reward is eter- 
nal life, vs. 12, 13, 16, &c. 

5. It is of God, that those who were once the servants of sin, become 
the servants of righteousness. To him, therefore, all the praise and gra- 
titude belong, V. 17. 

6. When a man is the slave of sin, he commonly thinks himself free; 
and when most degraded, is often the most proud. When truly free, 
he feels himself most strongly bound to God ; and when most elevated, 
is most humble, vs. 20 — 22. 

7. Self-abasement, or shame in view of his past life, is the necessary 
result of those views of his duty and destiny which every Christian 
obtains, when he becomes the servant of God, v. 12. 



CHAPTER VH. 



CONTENTS. 



The apostle, having shown in the preceding chapter, that the doctrines 
of grace do not give liberty to sin, but on the contrary are productive of 
holiness, in this chapter first illustrates and confirms his position that we 
are not under the law, but under grace, and shows the consequences of 
this change in our relation to God. While under the law, we brought 
forth fruit unto sin ; when under grace, we bring forth fruit unto right- 
eousness. This occupies the first section, vs. 1 — 6. The second, vs. 



156 ROMANS 7: 1~G. 

7 — 25, contains an exhibition of the operation of the law, derived from the 
apostle's own experience, and designed to show its insufficiency to pro- 
duce sanctification, as he had before proved it to be insufficient for justifi- 
cation. This section consists of two parts, vs. 7 — 13, which exhibit the 
operation of the law in producing conviction of sin ; and vs. 14 — 25, 
which show that in the inward conflict between sin and holiness, the law 
cannot afford the believer any relief. His only hope of victory is in the 
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

CHAP. 7: 1—6. 

*Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how 
that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth 1 ^For the 
woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long 
as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of 
her husband. ^Sq then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to 
another man, she shall be called an adulteress : but if her husband be dead, 
she is free from that law ; so that she is no adulteress, though she be mar- 
ried to another man. ^Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead 
to the law by the body of Christ ; that ye should be married to another, 
eveji to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit 
unto God. ^For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which 
were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 
^But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we 
were held ; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the old- 
ness of the letter. 

ANALYSIS. 

This section is an illustration of the position assumed in v. 14 of the 
preceding chapter ; we are not under law, but under grace. Paul remarks, 
as a general fact, that the authorit}-- of laws is not perpetual, v. 1. For 
example, the law of marriage binds a woman to her husband only so long 
as he lives. When he is dead, she is free from the obligation which that 
law imposed, and is at liberty to marry another man, vs. 2, 3. So we, 
being free from the law, which was our first husband, are at liberty to 
marry another, even Christ. We are freed from the law by the death of 
Christ, V. 4. The fruit of our first marriage was sin, v. 5. The fruit of 
the second is holiness, v. 6. 

The apparent confusion in this passage arises from the apostle's not 
carrying the figure regularly through. As a woman is free from obliga- 
tion to her husband by his death, so we are free from the law by its death, 
is obviously the illustration intended. But the apostle, out of respect 
probably to the feelings of his readers, avoids saying the law is dead, but 
expresses the idea that we are free from it, by saying we are dead to the 
law by the body of Christ. 



ROMANS 7: 1—6. 157 



COMMENTARY. 

(1) Know ye not brethren (^for I speak to them that know the law), how 
that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth P The senti- 
ment of this verse, viz. the obligation of the law is not perpetual, is ex- 
pressed very generally, and not precisely in the form suited to the illus- 
tration which follows. The illustration is, that the law of marriage 
ceases to bind a woman when her husband is dead ; but Paul here says, 
the law has dominion over a man so long as he lives. The general 
thought is all that is intended to be here expressed ; and this received its 
form probably before the precise illustration was determined in the apos- 
tle's own mind. It is not necessarily to be inferred from the expression, 
T speak to them that know the law, that the Jewish Christians are specially 
referred to. The principle stated being so familiar, the apostle might 
assume that any class of his readers knew enough of law to be aware of 
its truth. 

The original leaves it doubtful whether the last clause should be ren- 
dered " so long as he lives," or " so long as it lives." The former ren- 
dering is to be preferred, 1. Because the expressions the law lives, and 
the law dies, are very unusual, and, in the writings of Paul, unexampled, 
if the doubtful case in v. 6 be excepted. 2. This interpretation is more 
consistent with the language of v. 2, " The woman is bound to her hus- 
band so long as Ae lives; but if her husband be dead," &c. 3. Through- 
out the passage it is said that we are dead to the law (v. 4), delivered 
from the law (v. 6), and not that the law is dead to us. 

The word law, in this verse, seems to be used generally. It is not 
the law of Moses, nor the moral law, nor the law of marriage particu- 
larly ; but the apostle's remark has reference to laws in general. The 
particular example is given in vs. 2, 3, and the application of the remark 
to Christians is made in v. 4. 

(2) For the woman which hath an hushand is bound by the law to 
her husband as long as he liveth, &c. This and the following verse are 
a simple illustration of the principle stated in v. 1. The word for, there- 
fore, has the force which it so often has in such connexions, being 
equivalent to for example. ' Death puts an end to the authority of laws ; 
for example, the woman,' &c. 7s bound by the law. The law here is 
the law of marriage, and not especially or exclusively the Mosaic law 
on that subject. But if her husband be dead, she is loosed from the law 
of her husband. " Law of her husband ;" i. e. the law which bound 
her to her husband ; or which respects her husband. The words ren- 
dered loosed from are so used in v. 6. Gal. 5 : 4. 

(3) So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, 
she shall be called an adulteress, &c. This verse is but an amplifica- 
tion of the preceding one. « While her husband lives, the woman is 
bound by the law of marriage, for she is an adulteress if, while he is 
living, she be married to another man ; but that his death frees her from 

O 



158 ROMANS 7: 1—6. 

this law is plain, for she is not reg-arded as an adulteress if, her husband 
being dead, she be married to another.' Laws, therefore, are not neces- 
sarily of perpetual obligation. 

(4) Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by 
the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another, &c. Where- 
fore, this being the case, i. e. as the woman is freed from the marriage 
contract by the death of her husband, in like manner ye are free from the 
law by the death of Christ. And, moreover, as the woman is at liberty 
to marry the second time, so are we. Freed from the demands of our 
first husband (the law), we may be married to him who has risen from 
the dead. That is, freed from the law, as a rule of justification, we are 
at liberty to accept of the offers of gratuitous acceptance made to us in 
the gospel. As before remarked, the meaning of the apostle would be 
rather plainer if, at the beginning of this verse, instead of saying ye are 
dead to the law, he had said the law is dead to you. As the woman is 
freed from her husband when he dies, so are we freed from the law when 
it is dead, i. e. satisfied. But this is a mode of expression which he 
seems studiously to avoid. And the idea of our freedom from the law 
is as well expressed by saying we are dead to the law, as by saying 
the law is dead to us. In illustration of the phrase dead to the law, 
see V. 6. ch. 6 : 2. Gal. 2:19. 1 Pet. 2 : 24. 

We are said to be freed from the law by the body of Christ, i. e. by 
the sacrifice of that body, or by his death. Paul uses the expressions 
"the blood of Christ," Eph. 2: 13; "his flesh," Eph. 2: 15; "his 
cross," V. 16 ; "his body," Col. 1 : 22, as all equivalent to "his death." 
The demands of the law are satisfied by the sufferings of Christ. He 
has redeemed us from the curse of the law, by bearing its penalty or 
curse in our place. Gal. 3:13. To those, therefore, who are in Christ 
Jesus, the law, as a covenant of works, or rule of justification, is no 
longer in force, Rom. 8 : 2. 

That ye should be married to another, to him who is raised from the 
dead. This clause expresses the design of the redemption just spoken 
of. We are not delivered from the law, that we should be free from all 
restraint, or be our own masters, but that we should be united to him 
through whom alone the original design of the law, the sanctification of 
men, can be effected. As the apostle had spoken of Christ, by implica- 
tion at least, as being dead, when he spoke of his body, there was a pro- 
priety in his saying who is raised from the dead. It is a living hus- 
band, to use the apostle's figure, which every believer has in Christ; 
and, as he ever lives, the union is perpetual ; there is to be no more 
either divorce or death 

That we should bring forth fruit unto God. This is the design of 
our union with Christ. The object, here expressed in a manner suited 
to the figurative language of the context, is the same which is so often 
elsewhere stated as the grand design of the redemption of Christ, viz. 
the sanctification of his people. 



ROMANS 7: 1—6. 159 

The law of which the apostle is here speaking, is evidently not the 
Mosaic law merely. It is not the doctrine of this, and of similar pas- 
sages, that Christ has delivered us from the Jewish economy, and left 
us at liberty to embrace the simpler and more spiritual system of the 
gospel. The law of which he speaks is that which says, " The man 
which doeth these things shall live by them," ch. 10: 5. Gal. 3: 10; 
that is, which requires perfect obedience as the condition of acceptance. 
It is that which says, " Thou shalt not covet," v. 7 ; without which sin 
is dead, v. 8 ; which is holy, just, and good, v. 13 ; which is spiritual, 
V. 14, &c. &c. It is that law by whose works the Gentiles cannot be 
justified, ch. 3 : 20 ; from whose curse Christ has redeemed not the Jews 
only, but also the Gentiles, Gal. 3 : 13, 14. It is plain, therefore, that 
Paul here means by the law the will of God, as a rule of duty, no mat- 
ter how revealed. From this law, as prescribing the terms of our ac- 
ceptance with God, Christ has delivered us. Since, however, as re- 
marked above (ch. 6 : 14), the Old Testament economy, including th 
Mosaic institutions, was the form in which the law, as law, was ever 
present to the minds of the apostle and his readers, and since deliver- 
ance from the legal system, as such, involved deliverance from that 
economy, it is not wonderful that reference to that dispensation should 
often be made; or that Paul should at times express the idea of deliver- 
ance from the law, as such, by terms which would seem to express only 
deliverance from the particular form in which it was so familiar to his 
readers. 

(5) For when we were in the fleshy the motions of sins, which were by the 
law, &c. The apostle having, in v. 4, stated that believers are freed from 
the law by the death of Christ, in this and the following verses he shows 
the necessity and the consequences of this change. ' We have been thus 
freed, because formerly, when under the law, we brought forth fruit unto 
death ; but now, being free from the law, we are devoted to the service 
of God.' The force of /or at the beginning of this verse, is therefore 
obvious. The former legal state of believers is here described by saying, 
they were in the jiesh. In the language of Scripture, the word fiesh ex- 
presses, in such connexions, one or the other of two ideas, or both con- 
jointly. First, a state of moral corruption, as in ch. 8 : 8, "Those that 
are in the flesh ;" secondly, a carnal state, i. e. a state in which men are 
subject to external rites, ceremonies, and commands ; or, more generally, 
a legal state, inasmuch as among the Jews, that state was one of subjec- 
tion to such external rites. Gal. 3:3," Having begun in the spirit, are 
ye now made perfect by the flesh ?" Compare Gal. 4 : 9, where the ex- 
pression " weak and beggarly elements" is substituted for the phrase 
" the flesh," see Rom. 4:1. In the present case, both ideas appear to 
be included. The meaning is, ' When in your unrenewed and legal state.' 
The opposite condition is described (v. 6) as a state of freedom from the 
law ; which, of course, shows that the second of the two ideas mentioned 



160 ROMANS 7: 1—6. 

above, was prominent in the apostle's mind when he used the words "in 
the flesh." 

The motions of sins, i. e. emotions or exercises of sin, for sinful feelings. 
Which were by the law. The obvious ellipsis in this clause may be vari- 
ously supplied. * Which are made known by the law,' according to ch. 
3 : 20 ; or * which are caused to abound by the law,' according to ch. 5 : 
20; or, ' which are produced by the law,' according to v. 8, of this chap- 
ter. The last mode of explanation is decidedly to be preferred, because 
more consistent with the context, and with Paul's object, v/hich required 
him to show that the law, instead of producing holiness, was incidentally 
the cause of sin. 

JDid work in our members to bring forth sin unto death. In our members 
is little more than a paraphrase for in us ; see ch. 6 : 13, 13. To bring 
forth. The infinitive here expresses the result ; ' Sin so wrought that 
we brought forth fruit,' &c. Fruit unto death. Death is here again per- 
sonified ; to death, the advantage of death; as opposed to the words to 
God, at the close of v. 4. The fruit which sin produced belonged, as it 
were, to death. Such was our condition when under the law. Our pre- 
sent state is described in the next verse. 

(6) But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead ; wherein 
we were held, &c. Our former state was one in the flesh ,- our present is one 
of freedom from the law. If the common reading be adopted, the mean- 
ing of this passage is, ' We are delivered from the law, it being dead,' &c. 
But the true reading requires the second clause to be rendered thus, 
we being dead. The meaning then is, ' We are now delivered from the 
law, being dead in respect to that by which we were formerly held,' &c. 
There is apparently a transposition of the members of the sentence ; their 
natural order seems to be this, ' But now, being dead as it respects the 
law, by which we were formerly held, we are free, so that,' &c. 

That we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. 
The result of deliverance from the law is here described. The phrases 
newness of spirit, and oldness of the letter, according to a common Hebrew 
idiom, mean a new spirit and old letter. The word rendered letter means 
something written ; then the law as written, or the written law; ch. 2 : 
27. 2 Cor. 3: 6, "ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, 
but of the spirit (i. e. not of the law, but of gospel) ; for the letter killeth, 
but the spirit giveth life ;" i. e. the law condemns, but the gospel secures 
life. The sense of this passage, therefore, is, ' We serve God in the exer- 
cise of a new spirit, or in a new spiritual state ; and not in bondage to the 
old written law, or in our old legal state.' It is evident that the clause 
in the oldness of the letter is substituted by the apostle for the expressions 
under the law and in the flesh ; all which he uses to describe the legal and 
corrupt condition of men, prior to the believing reception of the gospel). 
Believers, then, are free from the law by the death of Christ; they are 
no longer under the old covenant which said, " Do this, and live ;" bu 



ROMANS 7: 1—6. 161 

are introduced into a new and gracious state, in which they are accepted, 
not for what they do, hut for what has been done for them. Instead of 
having the legal and slavish spirit, which arose from their former relation 
to God, they have the feelings of children. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The leading doctrine of this section is that taught in v. 14 of the 
preceding chapter, viz. that believers are not under a legal system ; and 
that the consequence of their freedom is not the indulgence of sin, but the 
service of God, v. 4. 

2. This deliverance from the law is not effected by setting the law 
aside, or by disregarding its demands; but by those demands being satis- 
fied in the person of Christ, v. 4. ch. 10 : 4. 

3. As far as we are concerned, redemption is in order to holiness. We 
are delivered from the law that we may be united to Christ, and we are 
united to Christ, that we may bring forth fruit unto God, v. 4, &c. 

4. Legal or self-righteous strivings after holiness can never be success- 
ful. The relation in which they suppose the soul to stand to God, is, 
from its nature, productive of evil, and not of holy feelings, v. 5. 

5. Actual freedom from the bondage and penalty of the law, is always 
attended and manifested by a filial temper and obedience, v. 6. 

6. The doctrine concerning marriage, which is here incidentally taught, 
or rather which is assumed as known to Jews and Christians, is, that the 
marriage contract can only be dissolved by death. The only exception 
to this rule is given by Christ, Matt. 5 : 32 ; unless indeed Paul, in 1 Cor. 
7 : 15, recognises wilful and final desertion as a sufficient ground of 
divorce, vs. 2, 3. 

REMARKS. 

1. As the only way in which we can obtain deliverance from the law 
is by the death of Christ, the exercise of faith in him is essential to holi- 
ness. When we lose our confidence in Christ, we fall under the power 
of the law, and relapse into sin. Every thing depends, therefore, upon 
our maintaining our union with Christ. " Without me, ye can do nothing,'* 
V. 4. 

2. The only evidence of union with Christ is bringing forth fruit unto 
God, V. 4. 

3. As deliverance from the penalty of the law is in order to holiness, it 
is vain to expect that deliverance, except with a view to the end for 
which it is granted, v. 4. 

4. Conversion is a great change ; sensible to him that experiences it, 
and visible to others. It is a change from a legal and slavish state, to 
one of filial confidence ; manifesting itself by the renunciation of the 
service of sin, and by devotion to the service of God, v. 6. 

5. A contract so lasting as that of marriage, and of which the con- 

o2 



162 ROMANS 7: 7—13. 

sequences are so important, should not be entered into lightly, but in the 
fear of God, vs. 2, 3. 

6. The practice, common in many of the Protestant countries of 
Europe, and in many states of this Union, of granting divorces on the 
ground of cruel treatment, or, ' incompatibility of temper,' is in direct 
contravention of the doctrines and precepts of the Bible on this subject, 
vs. 2, 3. 

CHAP. 7: 7—13. 

7 What shall we say then 1 Is the law sin 1 God forbid. Nay, I had 
not known sin, but by the law : for I had not known lust, except the law 
had said. Thou shalt not covet. ^But sin, taking occasion by the com- 
mandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the 
law sin was dead. ^For I was alive without the law once : but when the 
commandment came, sin revived, and I died. *°And the commandment, 
which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. **For sin, taking 
occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew we. ^^ Where- 
fore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 
*3Was then that which is good made death unto me 1 God forbid. But 
sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good ; 
that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 

ANALYSIS. 

Paul, having shown that we must be delivered from the law in order 
to our justification (chs. 3, 4), and that this freedom was no less neces- 
sary in order to sanctification (ch. 6. ch. 7 : 1 — 6), comes now to explain 
more fully than he had previously done, what was the use and effect of 
the law. This is the object of the residue of this chapter. The apostle 
shows first, vs. 7 — 13, that the law produces conviction of sin, agreeably 
to his declaration in ch. 3: 20; and, secondly, vs. 14 — 25, that it 
enlightens the believer's conscience, but cannot destroy the dominion of 
sin. This, section, therefore, may be advantageously divided into two 
parts. Paul introduces the subject, as is usual with him, by means of an 
idea intimately associated with the preceding discussion. He had been 
insisting on the necessity of deliverance from the law. Why ? Because 
it is evil? No; but because it cannot produce holiness. It can produce 
only the knowledge and the sense of sin ; which are the constituents of 
genuine conviction. These two effects are attributed to the operation of 
the law, the former in v. 7, the latter in v. 8. These ideas are amplified 
in vs. 9, 10, 11. The inference is drawn in v. 12, that the law is good ; 
and in v. 13, that the evil which it incidentally produces is to be attri- 
buted to sin, the exceeding turpitude of which becomes thus the more 
apparent. 



ROMANS 7: 7—13. 163 



COMMENTARY. 



(7) What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Far from it, ^o,. The 
apostle asks whether it is to be inferred, either from the general doctrine 
of the preceding section, respecting the necessity of deliverance from the 
law, or from the special declaration made in v. 5, respecting the law's 
producing sin, that the law was itself evil % He answers, by no means ; 
and shows, in the next verse, that the eflfect ascribed to the law, in v. 5, 
is merely incidental. Is the law sin ? means either, Is the law evil ? or is 
it the cause of sin ; see Micah 1:5,' Samaria is the sin of Jacob.' The 
former is best suited to the context, because Paul admits that the law is 
incidentally productive of sin. 

Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law. The word rendered nay 
very often signifies on the contrary, and may be so translated here. * So 
far from the law being evil, it is, on the contrary, of the greatest use, for 
I had not known sin, but by the law.' I had not known sin. The will 
of God, which is the rule of right and wrong, is the source of all know- 
ledge of what is morally good or evil. This law is revealed partially in 
the very constitution of our nature; and more fully in the Scriptures. 
The more enlarged and spiritual our views of this law, the clearer our 
knowledge of the extent and evil of sin. 

For I had not known lust, except the law had said thou shall not covet. 
The meaning of this member of the sentence depends upon the sense 
given to for. It maybe confirmatory, or merely illustrative. If the 
former, the sense is, ' I had not known sin, but by the law,/or I had not 
known that the mere inw^ard desire was evil, had not the law said,' &c. 
Or retaining the same force of this particle, ' I had not known the real 
inward fountain of sin, viz. concupiscence, except the law had said,' &c. 
According to this view, which is the one most commonly adopted, the 
word rendered lust refers to the corrupt disposition of the heart, considered 
as the root or source of sin. If for (ydp) be considered as merely illus- 
trative, the sense is this : ' I had not known sin except by the law ; for 
example, 1 had not known concupiscence, had not the law said,' &c. 
According to this view, concupiscence does not differ from the more gene- 
ral term sin, except as being adduced as an example of the evils to the 
knowledge of which the law leads. It seems probable that the first inter- 
pretation is the more correct of the two. At least, that the apostle design- 
edly referred to an inward, spiritual sin, in order the more clearly to con- 
firm his declaration. That certain outward actions were wrong, he and 
all other Pharisees knew, and were ready to admit ; but that God took 
cognizance of the heart, and of its most secret workings, and even of its 
habits or dispositions, they were less disposed to imagine ; and were, 
therefore, deplorably ignorant of the extent and turpitude of their depravity 
in his sight. 

(8) But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me ah 
manner of concupiscence, &c. This verse is not to be connected logically 



164 ROMANS 7 : 7—13. 

with the last member of the preceding one. It is rather co-ordinate with 
it, and is a virtual answer to the question, Is the law evil 1 To this 
question Paul replies, in v. 7, No ; on the contrary, it leads to the know- 
ledge of sin. And then in v. 8, he adds, it is not evil in itself, although 
incidentally the cause of sin in us. Sin, in this passage, must mean the 
sinful disposition of the heart, or our corrupt nature, because it is said to 
produce all kinds of concupiscence ; that is, every kind of evil desire. 
These desires are the fruit and evidence of this corrupt state of the heart. 
Taking occasion. The word rendered occasion is used for any thing 
which affords an advantage for the performance of any thing else. The 
word occasion or opportunity, referring properly to mere fitness of time, 
is not so appropriate a translation as the more general term advantage. 

The words by the commandment may be connected either with the pre- 
ceding or the following clause. If the former mode of construction be 
adopted, the passage means, ' Sin, taking advantage of the commandment, 
wrought in me,' &c. If the latter, ' Sin, taking advantage, by the com- 
mandment wrought in me,' &c. Our version is commonly pointed 
according to the former method, with a comma after commandment. The 
original, however, is in favour of the latter ; and so is the context. Paul's 
object is to show that by the law sin is excited and aroused ; and, in the 
following verses, he uses similar expressions, as " by it slew me," v. 11; 
"working death in me by that which is good," v. 13. The apostle, 
therefore, teaches, that the effect of the law operating upon our corrupt 
hearts, is to arouse their evil passions, and to lead to the desire of the 
very object which the law forbids. This is a matter of universal experi- 
ence. The same sentiment is, therefore, often met with in profane writers. 
' We strive for what is forbidden, and desire what is denied,' has become 
a proverb. 

For without the law, sin was dead. To say that a thing is dead, is to 
say that it is inactive, unproductive and unobserved. All this may be 
said of sin prior to the operation of the law. It is comparatively inopera- 
tive and unknown until aroused and brought to light by the law. There 
are two effects of the law included in this declaration, the excitement of 
evil passions, and the discovery of them. Calvin makes the latter much 
the more prominent. But the context, and the analogous declarations in 
the succeeding verses, seem to require the former to be considered as the 
most important. The law, then, is not evil, but it produces the convic- 
tion of sin, by teaching us what sin is, v. 7, and by making us conscious 
of the existence and power of this evil in our own hearts, v. 8. 

In the following verses, 9 — 11, we find an amplification and confirma- 
tion of the sentiment of vs. 7, 8, showing more fully the operation of the 
law. Paul is here describing his own experience. This is obvious, not 
only because he uses the first person singular, throughout the passage, 
but because the exercises here detailed are more or less distinctly those 
of every true Christian ; and, consequently those of the apostle. Paul 
describes, in figurative language, his state before the operation of the law 



ROMANS 7: 7—13. 165 

upon his mind, and after it began to produce its proper effect. In the 
former state, he was alive, and sin was dead ; in the latter, sin became 
alive, and he died. 

(9) For I was alive without the law once ; but when the command- 
ment came, sin revived, and I died. The word for connects this verse 
logically with the two preceding. » The law produces conviction of sin, 
for I was alive,' &c. Without the law, i. e. the law being absent, as it 
is opposed to the expression, when the commandment came. This phrase 
describes the state of Paul, and of every Christian, before conviction of 
sin. He was without a proper apprehension of the nature and extent of 
the law, which is real ignorance of it. Of course, as the law is the rule 
of duty, he was unaware of the number and magnitude of his sins. In 
this state he was alive. Life is a common figure, not only for activity, 
but happiness, including, among other ideas, those of peace and security. 
The meaning here is, 'I was at peace with myself; unaware of the 
dreadful opposition of my heart to the nature and requirements of God; 
and consequently unapprehensive of the danger to which, by that oppo- 
sition, I was exposed.' 

But when the commandment came, &c. That is, when I obtained pro- 
per views of the nature and extent of the law, then two consequences 
followed, sin revived, and I died. As by sin's being dead was meant 
that it was inactive and unobserved, so by its reviving must be intended, 
that it was roused from its torpor; its opposition to all that is good was 
excited by the clear exhibition of the law, and consequently it was no 
longer an unobserved or unknown evil. The sense of its existence 
power, and turpitude, became clear and strong. The result of this effect 
of the law Paul expresses by saying, and I died. That is, ' I became 
miserable ; because aware of the evil that was in me, and of the danger 
to which I was exposed.' Self-satisfaction and sense of security fled 
before the light of the law. 

(10) And the commandment which was unto life, I found to be unto 
death. Life and death are here, as often elsewhere, opposed to each 
other ; the one standing for happiness, the other for misery. The com- 
mandment, which was designed and adapted to lead men to happiness 
and the true end of their being, becomes productive of misery, by 
making them sensible of their corruption and exposure to condemnation* 
Throughout the whole of this passage it is to be remembered that Paul 
attributes to the law, not only the knowledge of sin, but the excitement 
of it. It produces " the motions of sin," or sinful desires, v. 5 ; it works 
all manner of concupiscence, v. 8 ; it revives sin, v. 9 ; it seduces into 
sin, V. 11. In the death, therefore, which it produces, the idea of sin as 
well as misery is to be included; and in the life, to which it was de- 
signed to lead, the ideas of holiness and happiness are both embraced. 

(11) For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and 
by it slew me. This verse assigns the reason of the law's being the 
cause of death, and hence is connected by for with v. 10. The proper 



166 ROMANS 7: 7—13. 

pointing' of this passage is doubtful. In our version it is commonlj 
pointed thus, " For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived 
me," &c. But, for the reasons assigned on v. 8, the words hy the com- 
mandment should be connected with the subsequent rather than with the 
antecedent clause. It was by the commandment that sin deceived, &c. 
The law is therefore the cause of death, not directly, or in virtue of its 
own nature or tendency, but incidentally only. Sin makes it such ; for 
the evil disposition of the heart avails itself even of the law to lead us 
into sin. The word rendered to c?ecezve, means also to seduce; which 
sense is better suited to this passage. The idea, therefore, is the same 
as that before expressed, ' our corrupt hearts make even the law the 
means of causing us to sin.' dnd by it slew me, i. e. rendered me 
miserable, at once unholy and unhappy. ' It made me sensible that I 
was sun I' in hopeless corruption and ruin.' 

(12) Wherefore the laio is holy, and the commandment holy, just, 
and good. The conclusion from the foregoing exhibition of the effect 
of the law is, that it is not to be blamed for the evil which it inciden- 
tally produces. In v. 9 Paul uses the words laiu and commandment as 
perfectly synonymous ; here they are distinguished. The law collect- 
ively, and each command separately, are alike holy, &c. The word 
holy, in the first clause, expresses general excellence, freedom from all 
fault ; and contains all that is expressed by the three terms of the second 
clause, where holy means pure, just means reasonable, and good, bene- 
volent, or tending to happiness. The law is in every way excellent. 

(13) Was then that which is good m,ade death unto m.e? God for- 
bid, &c. With a view to prevent the possibility of its being supposed 
that he thought disrespectfully of this holy law of God, the apostle again 
denies that it is directly the cause of sin, but shows that our own cor- 
ruption is the real source of the evil. Made death, agreeably to what 
has been said above, means ' made the cause of sin and misery.' The 
law is not this cause. 

JBut sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which 
is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 
The grammatical construction of this part of the verse is, in the original, 
very doubtful, and, in our version, inaccurate. It will be observed that 
it consists of two clauses, each beginning with that ; " that it might 
appear" and " that it might become." The latter of these clauses may 
depend upon the former ; and the participle working be taken Hebraically 
for a verb. The sense is then plain and good. 'The law is not the 
cause of death, but sin, that it might appear sin, wrought death in me by 
that which is good ; that thus it might become exceeding sinful.' This, 
however, does violence to the text, as the participle cannot properly be 
taken here as a verb. Others, therefore, make the clauses co-ordinate, 
both depending upon the first words of the sentence. ' The law is not 
the cause of death, but sin is, that it might appear sin, working death in 
me by that which is good ; that «s, that it might become exceeding sin 



ROMANS 7: 7—13. 167 

ful,' &c. That it might appear working, i. e. might be apprehended 
in its true character from its effects. Sin, therefore, and not the law, is 
the cause of death. And the turpitude and enormity of sin are made the 
more conspicuous by the law, inasmuch as it makes even that which is 
in itself good a source of evil. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The law, although it cannot secure either the justification or sanc- 
tification of men, answers an essential part in the economy of salvation. 
It enlightens conscience and secures its verdict against a multitude of 
evils, which we should not otherwise have recognised as sins. It, there- 
fore, produces that state of mind which is a necessary preparation for the 
reception of the gospel, vs. 7, 8. 

2. Conviction of sin, that is, an adequate knowledge of its nature, and 
a sense of its power over us, is an indispensable part of evangelical reli- 
gion. Before the gospel can be embraced as a means of deliverance 
from sin, we must feel that we are involved in corruption and misery, 
V. 9. 

3. The law of God is a transcript of his own nature ; holy, just, and 
good. The clearer our views of its extent and excellence, the deeper 
will be our sense of our own unworthiness, vs. 9, 12. 

4. Sin is exceeding sinful. Its turpitude is manifested by the fact 
that the exhibition of holiness rouses it into opposition ; and that the 
holy law itself is made incidentally to increase its virulence and power, 
V. 13. 

5. Sin is very deadly. It extracts death from the means of life, and 
cannot exist unattended by misery, vs. 10 — 13. 



1 . How miserable the condition of those whose religion is all law ! 
vs. 7—13. 

2. Though the law cannot save us, it must prepare us for salvation. 
It should, therefore, be carefully and faithfully preached, both in its ex- 
tent and authority, vs. 7, 8. 

3. It must be wrong and productive of evil, so to describe the nature 
of evangelical religion, as to make the impression that it is a mere 
change in the main object of pursuit; the choice of one source of hap- 
piness in preference to another. It is a return to God, through Jesus 
Christ, for the purpose of being delivered from sin and devoted to his 
service. Its first step is the conviction that we are sinners, and, as such, 
dead, i. e. helpless, corrupt, and miserable, vs. 7, 13. 

4. Nothing is more inconsistent with true religion than self-compla- 
cency. Because the more holy we are, the clearer our views of God's 
law ; and the clearer our views of the law, the deeper our sense of sin 
and, consequently, the greater must be our humility, vs. 12, 13. 

5. If our religious experience does not correspond with that of the 



168 ROMANS 7: 14—35. 

people of God, as detailed in the Scriptures, we cannot be true Chris- 
tians. Unless we have felt as Paul felt, we have not the religion of 
Paul, and cannot expect to share his reward, vs. 7 — 13, 

CHAP. 7 : 14—26. 

**For we know that the law is spiritual : but I am carnal, sold undei 
sin, *^For that which I do I allow not : for what I would, that do I not ; 
but what I hate, that do I. ^^If then I do that which I would not, I con- 
sent unto the law that it is good. ^^Now then it is no more I that do it, 
but sin that dwelleth in me. ^^^For I know that in me (that is, in my 
flesh) dwelleth no good thing : for to will is present with me ; but how 
to perform that which is good I find not. ^Wox the good that I would J 
do not : but the evil which I would not, that I do. ^"Now if I do that I 
would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. ^q find 
then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. ^^¥ox 
I delight in the law of God after the inward man : ^^hwX I see another 
law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing 
me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ^*0 
wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this 
death? ^^I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with 
the mind I myself serve the law of God ; but with the flesh the law of 
sin. 



The apostle, having exhibited the operation of the law in producing 
conviction of sin, comes now to show its effect on the mind of the be- 
liever. It cannot secure his sanctification. The cause of this inability 
is not in the evil nature of the law, which is spiritual, v. 14; but in the 
power of indwelling sin, " I am carnal," says the apostle, " sold under 
sin," V. 14. As this is not only a strong, but an ambiguous expression, 
Paul immediately explains his meaning. He does not intend to say that 
he was given up to the willing service of sin ; but that he was in the 
condition of a slave, whose acts are not always the evidence of his in- 
clination. His will may be one way, but his master may direct him 
another. So it is with the believer. He does what he hates, and omits 
to do what he approves, v. 15. This is a description of slavery, and a 
clear explanation of what is intended by the expression " sold under 
sin." There are two obvious inferences to be drawn from this fact. The 
one is, that the believer, while denying the sufficiency of the law, and 
maintaining the necessity of deliverance from it, bears an inward testimony 
to its excellence. He feels and admits that the law is good, v. 16 ; for il 
is the law which he approves, and the transgression of it which he hates 
as stated in the preceding verse. The second inference is, that acts thus 
performed are not the true criterion of character. " Now then it is no 
more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me," v. 17. The acts of a 



ROMANS 7: 14—25. 169 

slave are indeed his own acts, but not being performed with the full 
assent and consent of his soul, they are not fair tests of the real state of 
his feelings. The propriety and truth of this representation of the state 
of the believer, and of the influence of the law, is reasserted and con- 
firmed in vs. 18 — 20. The law presents duty clearly ; the heart and 
conscience of the believer assent to its excellence; but what can the law 
do in destroying the power of our inward corruptions 1 These evil prin- 
ciples remain, as far as the law is concerned, in full force. The authori- 
tative declaration that a thing must not be done, does not destroy the 
inclination to do it. 

The result, therefore, is, that notwithstanding the assent of the mind 
to the excellence of the law, the power of sin remains, so that, when 
we would do good, evil is present with us, v. 21. We delight in the 
law after the inward man, but this does not destroy the power of sin in 
our members, vs. 22, 23. This inward conflict the law can never end. 
It only makes us sensible of our helpless and degraded condition, v. 24 ; 
and drives us to seek victory whence alone it can be obtained, i. e. as the 
gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord, v. 25. 

COMMENTARY. 

(14) For we know that the law is spiritual ; but I am carnal, sold 
under sin. The connexion between this verse and the preceding pas- 
sage seems to be this. It had been asserted, in v. 5, that the law was 
incidentally the cause of sin. The result, however, was no reflection 
on the law ; for it was holy, just, and good, v. 12. As the fact that the 
law excites sin is consistent with its being good, so is also the fact that 
it cannot destroy the power of sin. The law indeed is spiritual, but we 
are carnal. The fault is again in us. According to this view, /or, at the 
beginning of this verse, is rather a particle of transition, or, at most, of 
illustration; and not of confirmation or inference. Paul, according to 
our version, says, We know,- the original, however, admits of the ren- 
dering / A;/iow indeed/ which is more consistent with the use of the 
first person singular throughout the chapter. The former reading is 
commonly adopted. 

The law is spiritual. The word spiritual is here expressive of gene- 
ral excellence, and includes all that is meant by holy, just, and good, in 
V. 12. This use of the word is easily accounted for. The Spirit of God 
is the source of all excellence ; hence, the term spiritual, when applied 
to any thing of which he is the author, implies that it derives its nature 
and character from the Spirit. Carnal, on the other hand, is applied to 
any thing which derives its nature and character from the flesh. Hence, 
*' things of the Spirit," " fruits of the Spirit," &c., are good things, or 
good fruits, ch. 8 : 5. Gal. 5 : 22 ; and " things of the flesh," " -w^orks of 
the flesh," &c., are evil works. As it is the doctrine of the Scriptures 
that men are entirely depraved, or destitute of holiness, in their natural 
state, the word Jlesh, which is the scriptural designation of men (as in 

P 



170 ROMANS 7: 14—25. 

the frequent expressions, "all flesh," " no flesh living-," &c.), is nsed for 
that which is corrupt, or for human nature considered apart from divine 
influence, ch. 8 : 1 — 11. John 3 ; 5, 6, and other passages, too numerous 
to be cited. To be carnal, therefore, when spoken of men, means to be 
under the government of the flesh, or of natural principles merely ; and 
to be spiritual is to be under the government of the {Spirit. When spoken 
of things, to be carnal \s to be corrupt; to be spiritual \b to be holy or 
excellent. The law is thus excellent. It is an emanation from the Spi- 
rit of God ; a transcript of his nature, and of course partakes of his cha- 
racter. But we are carnal, under the government of a corrupt nature. 
There is, therefore, a necessary opposition between the character and 
requirements of the law and our hearts. This, and not any evil in the 
law, is the true reason why the law cannot eflTect our deliverance from 
sin. The evil is too deep to be destroyed by the mere objective pre- 
sentation of excellence. 

Sold under sin, that is, a slave to sin. As slaves were procured by 
purchase, a person sold to another was his slave. The expression in 
the text is ambiguous. It may mean that one is entirely devoted to the 
service of sin, as in v. 7 of the preceding chapter. In this sense it is 
entirely inapplicable to the Christian. Paul says, expressly, the be- 
liever is in this sense no longer the servant (Gr. slave) of sin, but the 
servant of righteousness. The phrase in question, however, may also 
mean that one is subject to a power which, of himself, he cannot resist; 
against which he may and does struggle, and from which he desires to 
be free ; but which, notwithstanding all his efforts, still asserts its au- 
thority. This is a state of bondage. It is in this sense that Paul says 
he was sold under sin. This appears clearly from the following verses, 
which are explanatory of this clause. 

(15) For ihat which I do, I allow not, &c. This is an explanation 
and confirmation of the preceding declaration. ' I am sold under sin, 
for that which I do, I allow not,' &c. The original word, rendered 1 
allow, properly signifies I know, and as it is used in different senses in 
the Scriptures, its meaning in this case is a matter of doubt. Retaining 
its ordinary sense, the word may be used here popularly, as in the com- 
mon phrase, ' I know not what I do,' expressive of the absence of a calm 
and deliberate purpose, and of the violence of the impulse under which 
one acts. Or the meaning may be that what is done, is done thought- 
lessly. As, however, the word often expresses the idea of approbation, 
the interpretation best suited to the context is, ' What I do, that I ap- 
prove not ;' compare Ps. 1:6, " The Lord knoweth (i. e. approves) the 
way of the righteous ;" Ps. 36 : 10. 1 Cor. 8 : 3, &c. 

For what I would, that do I not ,- hut what I hate, that do L This 
is a further description of this state of bondage. As the expressions 
what I would and what I hate are in antithesis, the former must mean 
what I love or delight in. This use of the Greek word is accommo- 
dated to the corresponding Hebrew term, and occurs several times in the 



ROMANS 7: 14—25. 171 

New Testament. Matt. 27 : 43, " Let him deliver him, if he will have 
him, i. e. if he delights in him;" Matt. 9: 13. 12: 7. Heb. 10: 5, 8, 
and Ps. 21 : 9. 39 : 7, in the Septuagint. The word will, therefore, does 
not express so much a mere determination of the mind, as a state of the 
feelings and judgment. ' What I love and approve, that I omit; what I 
hate and disapprove, that I do.' Whether the conflict here described is 
that which, in a greater or less degree, exists in every man, between the 
natural authoritative sense of right and wrong, and his corrupt inclina- 
tions ; or whether it is peculiar to the Christian, must be decided by 
considerations drawn from the whole description, and from the connex- 
ion of this passage with the preceding and succeeding portions of the 
apostle's' discourse. It is enough to remark here, that every Christian 
can adopt the language of this verse. 

Two consequences flow from this representation of the experience of 
the Christian. First, the fault is felt and acknowledged to be his own ; 
the law is not to be blamed, v. 16. Second, this state of feeling is con- 
sistent with his being a Christian, v. 17. 

(16) If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law 
that it is good. Paul here asserts that his acting contrary to the law 
was no evidence that he thought the law evil ; for what he did, he disap- 
proved. But to disapprove and condemn what the law forbids, is to 
assent to the excellence of the law. There is a constant feeling of self- 
disapprobation, and a sense of the excellence of the law in the Chris- 
tian's mind. He is, therefore, never disposed to blame the extent or 
severity of the law, but admits the fault to be in himself. / consent to, 
literally, I speak with, agree with, concede to, 

(17) Now then it is no more I that do it, hut sin that dwelleth in 
me. Now then, that is, under these circumstances, or, this being the 
case. Or the meaning may be hut now, i. e. since I became a Christian. 
The former explanation is to be preferred on account of the connexion 
of this verse with v. 15, from which this passage is an inference. ' If 
the case be so, that I am sold under sin and am its unwilling slave ; if I 
do what I disapprove, and fail to accomplish what I love ; it is clear that 
it is not properly and fully I that do it, my real self; my better feelings 
or renovated nature is opposed to what the law forbids.' This is noc 
said as an exculpation, but to exhibit the extent and power of indwelling 
sin, which it is beyond our own power, and beyond the power of the 
law, to eradicate or effectually control. This feeling of helplessness is 
not only consistent with a sense and acknowledgment of accountability, 
but is always found united with genuine self-condemnation and peni- 
tence. The apostle's object, therefore, is not to apologize for sin, but to 
show that the experience detailed in v. 15 is consistent with his being a 
Christian. ' If it is true that I really approve and love the law, and 
desire to be conformed to it, I am no longer the willing slave of sin ; to 
the depth and power of the original evil is to be attributed the fact that 
I am not entirely delivered from its influence.' 



172 ROMANS 7 : 14—25. 

(18, 19, 20) These verses contain an amplification and confirmatior; 
of the sentiment of the preceding verses. They reassert the existence 
and explain the nature of the inward struggle of which the apostle had 
been speaking-. ' I am unable to come up to the requirements of the 
law, not because they are unreasonable, but because I am corrupt ; there 
is no good in me. I can approve and delight in the exhibitions of holi- 
ness made by the law, but full conformity to its demands is more than 1 
can attain. It is not I, therefore, my real and lasting self, but this in- 
trusive tyrant dwelling within me, that disobeys the law.' This strong 
and expressive language, though susceptible of a literal interpretation, 
which would make it teach not only error but nonsense, is still j)erfectly 
perspicuous and correct, because accurately descriptive of the common 
feelings of men. Paul frequently employs similar modes of expression. 
When speaking of his apostolic labours he says, " Yet not I, but the 
grace of God, which was with me," 1 Cor. 15 : 10. And in Gal. 2 : 20 
he says, " 1 live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." As no one sup- 
poses that the labours and life here spoken of were not the labours and 
life of the apostle, or that they did not constitute and express his moral 
character ; so no Christian supposes that the greatness and power of his 
sin frees him from its responsibility, even when he expresses his help- 
less misery by saying, with the apostle, " It is not I, but sin that dwell- 
eth in me." 

(18) For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth no good 
thing, &c. Paul is here explaining how it is that there is such a contra- 
diction between his better principles and his conduct, as just described. 
The reason is, that in himself, he was entirely depraved, " In me, that is, 
in my flesh, there dwelleth no good thing." As Paul is here speaking 
of himself, he limits the declaration that there was no good in him. In 
its full sense, as he was a renewed man, this could not be true ; he there- 
fore adds, " in my flesh." Agreeably to the explanation given above, v. 
14, these words evidently mean, ' in my nature considered apart from 
divine influence,' i. e. ' in me viewed independently of the effects pro- 
duced by the Spirit of God.' 

For to will is present with me, but to perform that which is good I find 
not. To will indeed. As will is here opposed to performance, it must 
have a somewhat different sense from that which it has in v. 15, where 
it is opposed to the word to hate. There it means to approve or love ; 
here it means to purpose or desire. ' I have the purpose or desire to obey 
the law, but the performance I find not.' I find not, i. e. I do not find to 
be present ; I cannot attain. 

(19) For the good that I would, I do not; hut the evil that I would 
not, that I do. This is a repetition, nearly in the same words, of v. 15. 
Paul reasserts that he was unable to act up to his purpose and desires. 
For example, he doubtless desired to love God with all his heart and at 
all times; but how constantly was his love colder, and less operative 
than the law demands. This verse is, therefore, but an amplification of 



ROMANS 7: 14— -25. 173 

the last clause of v. 18. / would, means either / approve or love, as in v. 
15; or I purpose, as in v. 18. 

(20) Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but 
sin that dwelleth in me. The same conclusion from the same premises 
as in V. 17. ' The things which I do, when contrary to the characteristic 
desires and purposes of my heart, are to be considered as the acts of a 
slave. They are indeed my own acts, but not being performed with the 
full and joyful purpose of the heart, are not to be regarded as a fair crite- 
rion of character,' 

(21) I find then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present 
with me. This verse has been subjected to a greater variety of interpre- 
tations than any other in the chapter, or perhaps in the whole epistle. 
The construction in the original is doubtful; and besides this difficulty, 
there is no little uncertainty as to the sense in which the word law is to 
be here taken. The question is, whether Paul means the law of God, 
of which he has been speaking throughout the chapter, or whether he 
uses the word in a new sense, for a rule, course, or law of action. Our 
translators have assumed the latter. If the former sense of the word be 
preferred, the passage may be thus interpreted. ' I find, therefore, that 
to me wishing to act according to the law, i. e. to do good, evil is present 
with me.' The considerations, however, in favour of the second expla- 
nation of the word law appear to be decisive. 1. The other interpreta- 
tion does not afford a sense suited to the context, as appears from Paul's 
own explanation of his meaning in the following verses. *I find,' he 
says, ' this law, that while wishing to do good, I do evil, v. 21 ; that is, 
I find that while I delight in the law of God, after the inward man, there 
is another law in my members which causes me to sin,' vs. 22, 23. Here 
it is evident, that the apostle means to explain what he intended by say- 
ing in V. 21, that he found or experienced a law which caused him to gc 
counter to his better judgment and desires. 2. Having used the word 
law by itself for the divine law throughout the chapter, he, for the first 
time, in v. 22, calls it " the law of God," to mark the distinction between 
the law intended in v. 21, and that intended in v. 22. 3. This sense of 
the word is not unusual, it occurs repeatedly in the immediately succeed- 
ing verses. 

The meaning of the verse is, ' I find, therefore, this law, that to me 
wishing to do good, evil is present.' This passage thus expresses the 
result at which the apostle had arrived. There was this inward conflict 
in his mind between good and evil which the law could not terminate. 
He found, that while wishing to do good, he was still subject to evil, 
and from this subjection nothing but the grace of God could deliver him. 
This is more fully explained in the following verses. 

(22) For I delight in the law of God after the inward man, &c. 
In the preceding verse Paul had said, " I would do good ;" the same 
desire after conformity to the requisitions of God is here expressed with 
more distinctness. / delight in the law is a stronger expression than 

p2 



174 ROMANS 7 : 14—25. 

/ consent to it, v. 16. As /, in the language of the apostle, includes, at» 
it were, two persons, the new and the old man, the flesh and the spirit, 
it is necessary to limit the proposition whether he says, " In me there is 
no good thing," or " I delight in the law of God." The former was true 
only as to his jlesh ; the latter only as to his inward man. That this * 
phrase is here expressive of real complacency and delight in the divine 
excellence as exhibited in the law, seems evident from the following 
reasons. 1. Because the delight is restricted to the inward man, and not 
spoken of the soul generally. As the term inward man meant at first the 
soul in opposition to the body, and as the former is superior to the latter, 
it naturally became expressive of excellence, and when opposed to some- 
thing in the soul, indicates its renewed or better feelings. 2. When the 
Bible makes this opposition between a good and evil principle in man, 
it uniformly attributes the former to the Holy Spirit, especially when any 
one is spoken of as hating evil and rejoicing in God. 3. A comparison 
of the terms " inward man," " law of the mind," " the new man," " the 
Spirit," as opposed to " the law in the members," " the old man," "the 
flesh," shows that the former are all employed to designate holy feelings, 
or the soul considered as renewed ; and the latter tlie reverse. This is 
peculiarly obvious from what is said in v. 25, where " the flesh," is 
opposed to "the law of the mind." 4. What is here said of the "inward 
man" and " the law in the members," is elsewhere said of " the Spirit" 
and " the flesh." The conflict which is described here, is described also 
in ch. 8 : 13. Gal. 5 : 17. Col. 3 : 9, 10; precisely the same things are 
predicated of the evil principle in all these cases, especially in the pas- 
sage in Galatians. If, therefore, the contest between " the flesh and 
Spirit" is peculiar to the renewed man, so is also that of which Paul 
speaks in this chapter. 

(23) But I see another law in my members warring against the law 
of my mind, &c. Another, i. e. other than the " inward man" or " law 
of the mind." With the one he delighted in the law of God, with the 
other he was opposed to it. These principles war against each other ; 
exactly as in Gal. 5 : 17, the flesh and spirit are represented as being con- 
trary the one to the other, so that we cannot do the things that we would. 
This law is said to be in my members, i. e. in me ; compare ch. 6 : 13, 19. 
As he had spoken of the good principle as " the inward man," it was 
natural to speak of the evil principle as being outward. In my members, 
therefore, is equivalent to " in my flesh," in my unsanctified nature. 
What in vs. 17, 20 is ascribed to ' indwelling sin,' is here attributed to 
' the law in the members.' The latter is, therefore, but a figurative expres- 
sion of the same idea. This evil is called a law from its controlling influ- 
ence ; it regulates the conduct as though it had a right to do so. The 
law of the mind \s evidently but another expression for the "inward man." 
This form of expression was adopted from its natural opposition to the 
phrase " law in the members." 

Bringing me into captivity to the law of sin^ which is in my members* 



ROMANS 7: 14—25. 175 

The law in my members brings me into captivity to the law of sin ; that 
is, to itself. The form of expression is rather unusual, although the 
sense appears sufficiently plain from the context. There does not seem 
to be any adequate reason for making a distinction between " the law in 
the members" and " the law of sin ;" the latter designation is rather 
explanatory of the former. Indwelling sin wars against the renewed prin- 
ciple, and brings the soul into captivity to itself. This, therefore, is but 
another form of expressing the idea that he was sold under sin, was its 
unwilling and unhappy captive, constantly resisting its power and long- 
ing for deliverance from its tyranny. Hence the exclamation, 

(24) wretched man that I am ! Who shall deliver me from the 
body of this death. The expression body of this death has been very 
variously explained. It may be equivalent to this body of death, by a 
very common Hebraism, according to which the pronoun, which properly 
belongs to the governing word, is attached to the word governed ; as idols 
of his silver, mountain of his holiness, for his idols of silver, &c. " This 
body of death" may then mean, this body which is destined or obnoxious 
to death, i. e. this mortal body. But it is clearly foreign from the spirit 
of this passage to consider the apostle as here wishing for deliverance 
from the body. He had been speaking of the burden of sin, and it is 
from this burden that he longs to be delivered. Body of death is, there- 
fore, better understood as ' body which causes death ;' and body may then 
be taken for Jlesh, i. e. corrupt nature, which, however, is contrary to 
usage ; or it may be taken metaphorically for sin considered as a body. 
This is the more natural, as Paul had just spoken of " members" and of 
sin as something "outward," in contrast to the "inward man." The 
meaning then is, ' Who will deliver me from this body, i. e. mass of death, 
this weight which tends to death.' This strong expression of the hate- 
fulness of sin, and of earnest desire to be delivered from it, seems to be 
clearly descriptive of the exercises of a renewed mind. 

(25) The burden of sin being the great evil under which the apostle 
and all other believers labour, from which no efficacy of the law, and no 
efforts of their own can deliver them, their case would be entirely hope- 
less but for help from on high. " Sin shall not have dominion oyer you," 
is the language of the grace of God in the gospel. The conflict which 
the believer sustains is not to result in the victory of sin, but in the 
triumph of grace. In view of this certain and glorious result, Paul ex- 
claims, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. This is evidently the 
expression of a strong and sudden emotion of gratitude. As, however, 
his object is to illustrate the operation of the law, it would be foreign to 
his purpose to expatiate on a deliverance effected by a different power ; 
he, therefore, does not follow up the idea suggested by this exclamation, 
but immediately returns to the point in hand. 

So then, with the mind, I myself serve the law of God, but with the 
Jlesh, the law of sin. Mind and flesh are here opposed. As the latter, 
according to the constant usage of the apostle, signifies that which is cor- 



176 ROMANS 7: 14—25. 

Tupt in man, his unsanctified nature ; the former must mean here, as in 
V. 23, that nature as renewed. In every believer, and in no one else, 
there are these two principles, grace and sin, the flesh and spirit, the law 
in the members and the law in the mind ; these are contrary the one to 
the other. ' / myself,'' says the apostle, or ' I one and the same man, 
feel both of these principles within me. With the one, I serve the law 
of God ; with the other, the law of sin, that is, sin itself, which, as a law 
in my members, essays to control my conduct.' This, in few words, is 
the sum of what the apostle has said from v. 14. Such is the state in 
which the law leaves the believer ; such the effect of the mere objective 
and preceptive presentation of truth. The law excites in the unrenewed 
mind opposition and hatred ; in the pious mind complacency and delight ; 
but in neither case can it break the power of sin, or introduce the soul 
into the true liberty of the children of God. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. No man is perfectly holy in this life, at least the apostle was not, 
according to his own confession, when he wrote this account of his expe- 
rience. That Paul throughout the latter part of this chapter is describing 
his own feelings when writing, appears evident from the following consi- 
derations. 

a. Because he uses the first person and the present tense throughout 
the passage, and says, " I consent to the law that it is good ;" " I delight 
in the law of God ;" " I see another law in my members ;" " O wretched 
man that I am ;" " So then I myself serve the law of God ;" &c. &c. 
He does this with an earnestness and warmth which show that he is ex- 
pressing the feelings of his own heart. No example is to be found in all 
the apostle's writings analogous to this, if it be assumed that he is here 
personating another. 

6. Because there is nothing in this passage inconsistent with the expe- 
rience of the holiest of men. This has been shown in the commentary. 
The inward conflict here described every Christian understands and expe- 
riences. 

c. The passage contains many declarations inconsistent with the scrip- 
tural account of unrenewed men. The Bible does not speak of unrenewed 
men as consenting to the law, as hating sin and struggling against it, 
groaning under it as a tyrant's yoke, as delighting in the law of God, and 
doing all this as to the inward or new man. 

d. Because the conflict which is here described is, in other passages, 
portrayed (for example, in Gal. 5 : 17) in language which, by common 
consent, can be applied only to true Christians. That these passages refer 
to the same subject is plain not only from the fact that the flesh (or corrupt 
nature) is mentioned in both as the evil principle, but because the descrip- 
tion in both cases is nearly in the same words. There the flesh is said to 
war against the spirit, so that we cannot do the things that we would ; 
here the flesh or the law in the members is said to war against the law in 



ROMANS 7: 14—25. 177 

the mind, so as to bring us into captivity to the law of sin. If therefore 
the one passage is descriptive of the experience of the true Christian, so 
must also the other be. 

e. The context requires this interpretation. The apostle has been in- 
sisting on the necessity of our being free from the law in order to our 
justification and sanctification. To show that his doctrine does not 
involve any reflection on the law, it was necessary to show why the 
law is thus inefficient. In order to accomplish this object he explains 
how the law operates on the depraved heart. It arouses conscience, and 
it provokes opposition. This is one part of its effect ; but not the whole. 
Even when the heart is renewed, the law cannot by itself promote holi- 
ness. It presents indeed the form of beauty, and the soul delights in it 
after the inward man, but it cannot destroy the power of indwelling sin. 
The Christian, therefore, must look for deliverance not to the law, but to 
the grace of God in Jesus Christ. It was essential, therefore, to the 
apostle's object to show that even for the true Christian, the bondage of 
the law is unnecessary. 

2. The law is spiritual, that is, perfect, deriving its character from its 
author, the Spirit of God. It is, therefore, the unerring standard of duty, 
and the source of moral light or knowledge. It should, therefore, be 
every where known and studied, and faithfully applied as the rule of 
judgment for our own conduct and that of others. Evangelical doctrines, 
therefore, which teach the necessity of freedom from the law as a covenant 
of works, i. e. as prescribing the terms of our justification before God, 
derogate neither from its excellence nor its authority. It is left to do its 
proper work in the economy of redemption ; to convince of sin, and be a 
guide to duty, v. 14, &c. 

3. The mere presentation of truth, apart from the influences of the Spi- 
rit, can neither renew nor sanctify the heart, v. 14, &c. 

4. Inability is consistent with accountability. " To perform that 
which is good I find not," that is, I cannot, v. 18. Gal. 5 : 17. As the 
Scriptures constajitly recognise the truth of these two things, so are they 
constantly united in Christian experience. Every one feels that he can- 
not do the things that he would, yet is sensible that he is guilty for not 
doing them. Let any man test his power by the requisition to love God 
perfectly at all times. Alas, how entire our inability ! yet how deep our 
self-loathing and self-condemnation ! 

5. The emotions and affections do not obey a determination of the 
will, vs. 16, 18, 19, 21. A change of purpose, therefore, is not a change 
of heart. 

6. The Christian's victory over sin cannot be achieved by the strength 
of his resolutions, nor by the plainness and force of moral motives, nor by 
any resources within himself. He looks to Jesus Christ, and conquers 
in his strength. In other words, the victory is not obtained in the way 
of nature, but of grace, vs. 14 — 25. 



178 ROMANS 7 : 14—25. 



1. As the believer's life is a constant conflict, those who do not 
struggle against sin, and endeavour to subdue it, are not true Christians, 
vs. 14—25. 

2. The person here described hates sin, v. 15 ; acknowledges and de- 
lights in the spirituality of the divine law, vs. 16, 22 ; he considers his 
corruption a dreadful burden, from which he earnestly desires to be deli- 
vered, V. 24. These are exercises of genuine piety, and should be applied 
as tests of character. 

3. It is an evidence of an unrenewed heart to express or feel opposition 
to the law of God as though it were too strict ; or to be disposed to throw 
off the blame of our want of conformity to the divine will from ourselves 
upon thalaw as unreasonable. The renewed man condemns himself, and 
justifies God, even while he confesses and mourns his inability to con- 
form to the divine requisitions, vs. 14 — 25. 

4. The strength and extent of the corruption of our nature are seen 
from its influence over the best of men, and from its retaining more or less 
of its power, under all circumstances, to the end of life, v. 25. 

5. This corruption, although its power is acknowledged, so far from 
being regarded as an excuse or palliation for our individual ofiences, is 
recognised as the greatest aggravation of our guilt. To say, with the 
feelings of the apostle, " I am carnal," is to utter the strongest language 
of self-condemnation and self-abhorrence, vs. 14 — 25. 

6. Although the believer is never perfectly sanctified in this life, his 
aim and efforts are ever onward ; and the experience of the power of in- 
dwelling sin, teaches him the value of heaven, and prepares him for the 
enjoyment of it, vs. 14 — 25. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



CONTENTS. 



Paul had not^ finished his exhibition of the plan of salvation. He had 
shown that we are justified gratuitously, that is, by faith in Jesus Christ, 
without the works of the law. He had proved that, so far from this free- 
dom from the law leading to the indulgence of sin, it is necessary to our 
sanctification, because the law is as inadequate to the production of holi- 
ness in the sinner, as it is to secure pardon or acceptance with God. 
That such is the insufficiency of the law, he proved by exhibiting its ope- 
ration both on the renewed and unrenewed mind. Having accomplished 
all this, he leaves, in the chapter before us, the field of logical argument, 
and enters on the new and. more elevated sphere of joyous exultation. 



ROMANS 8: 1—11. 179 

As, however, there is always warmth of feeling in the apostle's argu- 
ment, so also is there generally logical arrangement in his highest Iri 
nmphs. 

His theme here is the security of believers. The salvation of those 
who have renounced the law and accepted the gracious offers of the gos- 
pel is shown to be absolutely certain. The whole chapter is a series of 
arguments most beautifully arranged in support of this one point. They 
are all traced back to the great source of hope and security, the unmerited 
and unchanging love of God in Christ Jesus. The proposition is contained 
in the first verse. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ 
Jesus ; they shall never be condemned or perish. 

1. Because they are delivered from the law; all its demands being 
fulfilled in them by the mission and sacrifice of Christ, vs. 1 — 4. 2. Be- 
cause their salvation is actually begun in the regeneration and sanctifica- 
tion of their hearts by the Holy Spirit. Those who have the Spirit of 
Christ have the Spirit of life, vs. 5 — 11. 3. Not only is their salvation 
begun, but they are the children of God, and if children they are heirs, 
V. 12 — 17. 4. The afflictions which they may be called to endure, are 
not inconsistent with this filial relation to God, because they are utterly 
insignificant in comparison with the glory that shall be revealed in them ; 
and under these afflictions they are sustained both by hope and the inter- 
cessions of the Holy Spirit, vs. 18 — 28. 5. Because they are predestinated 
to the attainment of eternal life; of which predestination their present 
santification or effectual calling is the result, and, therefore, the evidence, 
vs. 28 — 30. 6. Because God has given his Son to die for them, and 
thereby to secure their justification and salvation, vs. 31 — 34. 7. Because 
the love of God is infinite and unchangeable ; from which nothing can 
separate us, vs. 35 — 39. Thus from the proximate cause of salvation or 
the indwelling of the Spirit, does the apostle rise with ever-increasing 
confidence to the great source and fountain of all in the love of God. 

Although, according to this view of the chapter, it is one whole, it 
may, for the sake of convenience, be divided into three sections. 

CHAP. 8: 1—11. 

^There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ 
Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ^Por the law 
of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of 
sin and death. ^For what the law could not do, in that it was weak 
through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful 
flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh : ^that the righteousness of 
the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after 
the Spirit. ^For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the 
flesh ; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. ^For 
to be carnally minded is death ; but to be spiritually minded is life and 
peace. ''Because the carnal mind is enmity against God : for it is not 
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ^So then they that are 



180 ROMANS 8: 1—11. 

in the flesh cannot please God. ^But ye are not in the flesh, hut in the 
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man 
have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. ^°And if Christ he in 
you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of 
righteousness. ^^But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the 
dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also 
quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 

ANALYSIS. 

This section contains the development of the first two of the apostle's 
arguments in favour of the position that those who are in Christ Jesus 
shall never be condemned. The immediate reason is assigned in the 
second verse, they are delivered from the law. For in view of the insufii- 
ciency of the law, God sent forth his Son as a sacrifice for sin, v. 3, and 
thus secured the justification of all believers, v. 4. Being thus delivered 
from the law, they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and this 
possession of the Spirit is incipient salvation : because the carnal mind, 
which, of course, all who are in the flesh possess, is death ; whereas a 
mind under the government of the Spirit is life and peace. Such is the 
very nature of the case. Holiness is salvation, vs. 5 — 7. The reason 
that death is the necessary consequence of being carnally minded, is the 
essential opposition between such a state of mind and God. Hence, 
those w)xo have this state of mind are the objects of the divine displea- 
sure, vs. 7, 8. As, however, believers are not under the government of 
the flesh, but of the Spirit, their salvation is secured even to the resur- 
rection of the body. For if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from 
the dead dwell in them, he shall also quicken their mortal bodies, vs. 
9—11. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) There is, therefore^ now no condemnation to them which are in 
Christ Jesus. It is a matter of considerable importance to the under- 
standing of this chapter, to decide what is its precise relation to the pre- 
ceding part of the epistle. The word therefore indicates that what fol- 
lows is an inference : but from what 1 From the conclusion of the 
seventh chapter, or from the whole previous discussion] The latter 
seems to be the only correct view of the context ; because the fact that 
there is no condemnation to believers is no fair inference from what is 
said at the close of the preceding chapter. Paul does not mean to say, 
as Luther and others explain v. 1, there is nothing worthy of condemna- 
tion in the Christian, because, with his mind, he serves the law of God. 
Nor does he mean, at least in the first few verses, to argue that believers 
shall not be condemned, because they are freed from the dominion of sin. 
But the inference, in the first verse, is the legitimate conclusion of all 
that Paul had previously established. Believers shall be saved, because 
they are not under the law, but under grace, which is the main point in 



ROMANS 8: 1—11. 181 

all that Paul has yet said. There is, therefore, now, i. e. under these 
circumstances, viz. the circumstances set forth in the previous part of 
the epistle. 

To he in Christ Jesus signifies to be intimately united to him, in the 
way in which the Scriptures teach us this union is effected, viz. by 
having his Spirit dwelling in us, v. 9. The phrase is never expressive 
of a merely external or nominal union. " If any man be in Christ he is 
a new creature," 2 Cor. 5 : 17. See John 15:4, &c. 1 John 2 : 5. 3 : 6. 
To be in Christ, and to have fellowship with him, are, with the apostle 
John, convertible expressions; see also Rom. 16 : 7, 11. 

Who walk not after the Jiesh, but after the Spirit. These words 
may be understood, 1. as descriptive of the character of those who are 
in Christ; 2. as assigning the reason why there is no condemnation to 
them, viz. because they walk not, &c. ; or, 3. as describing the condi- 
tion on which the blessing depends, ' There is no condemnation to them, 
provided they walk not,' &c. The first and last of these views may be 
united, and express the real meaning of the apostle. 

To walk after is, in Scripture language, to regulate the life and con- 
duct according to, to follow as a guide or leader, Acts 21: 21. Eph. 
2 : 2, &c. &c. The flesh is our corrupt nature. Spirit is either the Holy 
Spirit, or as opposed to flesh, our hearts considered as renewed. The 
former is much to be preferred, for this is the sense of the word through 
the whole passage. The meaning of this clause then is, ' Those who 
are in Christ do not regulate their conduct according to the dictates of 
their own corrupt hearts, but follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.' 
If the Spirit dwells in us, he regulates our opinions, feelings, and exter- 
nal conduct. The apostle does not mean to say, in opposition to the pre- 
ceding chapter and to all experience, that believers never yield to the 
suggestions of the flesh ; but he simply expresses what is the constant 
aim and general character of the Christian's life. 

(2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, &c. This 
verse assigns the reason why there is no condemnation to those who are 
in Christ, as is evident from the use of /or, with which the verse com- 
mences. 

The expression law of the Spirit is here opposed to the phrase the 
law of sin and death. The meaning of the one, therefore, must deter- 
mine that of the other. By the law of the Spirit may be understood the 
power or influence of the renewed principle in the heart, and then the 
law of sin and death must mean indwelling sin, or the law in the mem- 
bers. Or the Spirit is here the Holy Spirit, called the Spirit of life, 
because the author of life ; and the word law signifies rule. The whole 
phrase would then be descriptive of the gospel, which is the law of 
which the life-giving Spirit is the author. The expression the law of sin 
and death then means the law of God, which is so called because it is 
incidentally the cause both of sin and death, as taught in the preceding 
chapter. The sense of the whole verse as connected with v. 1, there- 

Q 



182 ROMANS 8: 1—11. 

fore, is, ' There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, 
because they have been freed by the gospel from that law which, al- 
though in itself good, is still the cause of sin and death.' This latter 
interpretation, which is perfectly consistent with the usage of the words, 
is better suited to the context than the other. This verse then assigns 
an adequate reason for the declaration contained in v. 1 ; and the truth 
taught in v. 2, as thus explained, is confirmed in v. 3. "^ 

The words in Christ Jesus may be connected with the whole preceding 
clause, 'The law of the Spirit of life which is by Christ Jesus;' or, as 
the absence of the article in the original would seem to require, with the 
verb that follows, ' Has made me free through Christ Jesus.' 

(3) The connexion between this and the preceding verse is obvious. 
We are freed from the law because the law was weak, i. e. inadequate 
for the purpose of our salvation. This connexion serves to show that the 
interpretation just given of the second verse is correct. 

For what ihe law could not do, in that it was weak through the 
Jiesh, &c. The Greek admits either of the versions here given, the impos- 
sibility of the law being taken for what was impossible to the laiu ,- or it 
may be explained thus, as to or on account of the impotence of the latu, 
&c. The latter method is to be preferred. The sense then is, ' we are 
freed from the law, for in view of, or on account of its inadequacy, God 
having sent his Son,' &c. What is here said of the insufficiency of the 
law generally, is said especially of the form in which it appeared in the 
Mosaic institutions in Acts 13: 39. Gal 3 : 21. Heb. 7: 18, 19, and is 
indeed proved at length in the epistle of the Hebrews. 

This inadequacy of the law, however, Paul says, arises from no inherent 
defect but from the corruption of men. Li that it was weak through the 
Jiesh, The same sentiment as that taught in the preceding chapter, vs. 
7 — 25. In that, i. e. because that, see Heb. 2 : 18. Paul uses the word 
Jiesh here in its common sense for corruption, or human nature considered 
as corrupt, see above Rom. 7 : 14. God sending his own Son in the like- 
ness of sinful Jiesh, &c. ; his own Son; him who is a partaker of his 
nature. This is the meaning of the word Son as applied to Christ; see 
eh. 1 : 4. John 1 : 14. 5 : 17, &c. 10 : 30—39. The greatness of the gift 
and the urgency of the necessity are therefore presented in the strongest 
light by these few words. 

In the likeness of sinful Jiesh, i. e. in a nature similar to the nature of 
sinful men. So in Phil. 2 : 7, Christ is said to have come " in the like- 
ness of men." The similarity extended to all points except sin ; Heb. 
2 : 17. 4 : 15. John 1 : 14, where also the word Jiesh is used as here for 
the nature in which Christ appeared. We have in this verse a distinct 
reference to the two natures of the Redeemer. The Son of God in human 
nature ; see Gal. 4 : 4. 

And for sin. These words are to he connected with the preceding 
God not only sent his Son in our nature, but he sent him/or sin. That is, 
either generally on account of sin, or, more specially, as a sin-offering. 



f 



ROMANS 8: 1—11. 183 

This latter is to be preferred, for the original words are frequently so used, 
both in the Old and New Testament. The full phrase is a sacrifice fot 
sin. See precisely these words in Heb. 10 : 6. Lev. 6 : 25. Num. 8 : 8. 
Ps. 40 : 6. This sense, too, is best suited to what follows. 

Condemned sin in the flesh. The phrase condemned sin may be under- 
stood to mean he destroyed sin, or he punished sin. In either case the 
words in the flesh may mean in human nature. According to the former 
view this clause means ' He destroyed sin in our corrupt nature ;' and the 
whole point of the verse is, that because the law could not effect our sanc- 
tification, God sent forth his Son on account of sin, and destroyed it in us. 
According to the other view, the meaning is, ' That God sent his Son as 
a sin-offering and thus punished sin in the flesh,' i. e. either in his flesh, 
of which mention had just been made, or in human nature, a nature like 
our own. That the latter is the true meaning, appears evident, 1 . Because 
the word rendered condemned never means simply to destroy or remove. 
The other interpretation, therefore, is contrary to usage. 2. This inter- 
pretation best suits the other part of the verse. A sacrifice has reference 
rather to the guilt of sin, than to its impurity ; it procures pardon imme- 
diately, sanctification only mediately. By the sacrifice of Christ, sin 
was, therefore, condemned, rather than destroyed or removed. 3. The 
following verse requires this interpretation. Sin was condemned in 
Christ, in order that we might be justified. 4. The whole context 
requires it. The apostle argues thus, ' There is no condemnation to be- 
lievers because they are not under the law. They are free from that legal 
system, because God, seeing its insufficiency, sent his Son as a sacrifice 
for sin, and thus condemned sin, that we might be free from the demands 
of the law, or might thus satisfy its claims.' 

It is not meant to be denied in the interpretation just given of this im- 
portant verse, that the deliverance of believers from sin is the result of 
the mission and sacrifice of Christ, or that this idea was not uniformly 
associated in the apostle's mind with their justification. All that is intended 
is to show that, in this connexion, where freedom from condemnation, 
deliverance from the law, the sacrifice of Christ, and condemnation of 
sin are spoken of, the main idea is the justification and not the sanctifi- 
cation of believers. 

(4) That the righteousness of the law might he fulfilled in us, &c. 
These words express the design and result of the sacrifice of Christ. 
The righteousness of the law means that which the law demands. ' That 
the demands of the law might be fulfilled in us,' may, however, mean 
either that we might obey the law, or that we might be freed from its 
demands, that is, be justified. That the latter is the true meaning here, 
seems evident, 1. Because this interpretation alone suits the context, if 
the view given of the previous verses is correct. All the arguments, 
therefore, in favour of that view, support this interpretation, and need not 
be repeated. 2. Because in scriptural language the pardon of sin is the 
direct .object of the sacrifice of Christ, and, therefore, this verse, which 



.84 ROMANS 8: 1—11. 

expresses this object, must mean we are justified, rather than that we are 
sanctified. 3. The latter part of the verse would, in the other case, be 
superfluous. Why should it be said that the law is obeyed by those who 
obey the law, that is, who walk after the Spirit? This verse, therefore, 
expresses nearly the same idea with the first. It is there said, ' there is 
no condemnation to us who walk after the Spirit,' and here, that 'the 
demands of the law are fulfilled in us who thus walk.' They are fulfilled 
by the sacrifice of Christ and the punishment of sin in him. He was 
made sin, or treated as a sinner, for us, that we might be made righteous- 
ness, or treated as righteous in him, 2 Cor. 5 : 21. 

(5) For they that are after the Jlesh do mind the things of the flesh, 
&c. The immediate object of this and the following verse is to justify 
the necessity of the limitation of the blessings of Christ's death to those 
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The /or, therefore, 
connects this verse, not with the main idea, but with the last clause 
of the preceding. Men must be holy, because sin is death, whereas 
holiness is life and peace. The necessity of spirituality, therefore, lies 
in the very nature of things. 

They who are after the flesh, those who are in the flesh, the carnal, 
are expressions of like import, and describe those who are governed by 
the flesh, or by their nature considered as corrupt. The corresponding 
series, they ivho are after the Spirit, who are in the Spirit, the spiritual, 
describe those who are under the government of the Holy Ghost. Of 
the former class it is said they mind the things of the flesh, of the latter, 
they mind the things of the Spirit. The word rendered they mind ex- 
presses primarily the exercise of the intellect, they attend to, but, seconda- 
rily, and by implication, the exercise of the affections, of which the 
other is the result. Hence in Col. 3 : 2, it is correctly rendered in the 
passage, " Set your affection on things above." See also Phil. 3 : 19. 
The same may be said of the word mind as used by our translators. 
The idea evidently is, that the objects of attention, desire, and pursuit, 
to the carnal, are corrupt and worldly; while to the spiritual they are 
the things which the Spirit proposes and approves. 

(6) For to be carnally minded is death, Sic. This is the next step 
in the apostle's argument. For is here a mere particle of transition, and 
is equivalent to but, « They who are after the flesh mind the things of the 
flesh ; but to mind the things of the flesh, or to be carnally minded is 
death.' It is clear that to be carnally minded is exactly what is meant 
by the corresponding phrase in the preceding verse. This state of mind, 
this desire and pursuit of carnal things, is, in its own nature, destructive. 
It leads to all the Scriptures mean by death, alienation from God, unho- 
Hness and misery. 

To be spiritually minded. A spiritual state of mind, the desire and 
pursuit of spiritual things is, in its own nature, life and peace. God has 
so constituted the human soul that the exercise of all right feelings is 



ROMANS 8: 1—11. 185 

attended with happiness, and the exercise of evil ones with misery. To 
be entirely sinful, therefore, is to be entirely miserable. 

(7) The ground of this assertion is, that God is the end and portion of 
the soul. To be separated from him is, therefore, to be separated from 
all that is suited to its nature and capacity. But a carnal state does 
effect this separation from God, and is, therefore, destructive. This idea 
Paul expresses by saying-, 

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, &c. The words 
here rendered the carnal mind are the same as those which, in v. 6, are 
rendered to he carnally minded; of course the two expressions in our 
version must be considered as synonymous. This state of mind, this 
desire and pursuit of carnal things is said to be hostile to God. This 
may be understood either as though Paul employed these abstract terms 
for concrete ones, as with him is very common, and then the sense would 
be, 'Those who are thus carnally minded are opposed to God, i. e. are 
not subject to his law and cannot be.' Or the abstract terms may be re- 
tained in their proper force, and then the meaning is, ' The desire and 
pursuit of the things of the flesh is enmity to God.' There is no great 
difference; for when we say that sin is enmity to God, we at the same 
time say that the sinner is an enemy of God. 

(8) The necessary consequence of this opposition of a mind governed 
by the flesh, or of a state of mind resulting from the predominance of the 
flesh to God is, that those who are in this state are the objects of the 
divine displeasure. So then they that are in the Jiesh cannot please God. 
To be in the Jiesh, as before remarked, is to be under the government of 
the Jiesh, or corrupt nature, to be destitute of the grace of God. It is an 
expression applied to all unrenewed persons, as those who are not in the 
Jiesh are in the Spirit. 

The words cannot please God may mean either cannot do what is 
pleasing to God, or cannot be acceptable to him, i. e. are the objects of 
his displeasure. The latter is better suited to the context, as all that is 
said in vs. 7, 8 is designed to show the truth of the declaration in v. 6, 
" to be carnally minded is death." It is so, because the carnal mind is 
enmity against God, and, therefore, those who have this state of mind 
are hateful in his sight. But to be the object of the divine displeasure, 
is to be miserable. In vs. 9, 10, 11, Paul applies to the Romans what he 
had said generally, and shows how it is that, in the fullest and widest 
sense, " to be spiritually minded," or possessed of the Spirit, is life and 
peace, v. 6. 

(9) But ye are not in the Jiesh, hut in the Spirit, if so he the Spi- 
rit of God dwell in you. To he in the Jiesh and in the Spirit are ex- 
pressions already explained. Paul was persuaded that those to whom 
he wrote were renewed or spiritual persons ; yet he expresses the ca?e 
hypothetically, ' Ye are renewed, if so he ye have the Spirit of God, for 
if you have not that Spirit you are none of his.' 

Spirit of God dwell in you. It need hardly be remarked that Spirit 

q2 



.86 ROMANS 8: 1—11. 

of God cannot, with any regard to the usage of scriptural language, be 
explained here as meaning pious feelings, metonymically called Spii-it, 
because produced by his agency. The expression and context alike 
show that it must be understood of the Holy Ghost. God is said to 
dwell wherever he constantly manifests his presence. Hence, he dwelt 
in the tabernacle, the temple, in Zion, &c. In the New Testament the 
church is called a habitation of God, Eph. 2 : 22, &c., and individual 
Christians are said to be his temple, I Cor. 3:16. 6 : 19. The indwell- 
ing of the Spirit in Christians is spoken of in the passages referred to, 
and in many others, as 2 Tim. 1 : 14. 2 Cor. 6 : 16, &c. 

JVow if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. It 
is evident that what was just called the Spirit of God, is here called the 
Spirit of Christ ; see Gal. 4 : 6. Phil. 1 : 19. 1 Pet. 1:11; of course the 
latter phrase cannot mean the disposition of Christ, but the Holy Spirit. 
He is called the Spirit of Christ, 1. Because possessed by Christ with- 
out measure, John 3 : 34. Acts 10: 38. Isa. 42 : 1, &c. 2. Because he 
is given or sent by Christ, John 1 : 33. 15 : 26. 16: 7. Luke 24: 49, 
&c. &c. 

(10) And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, &c. The 
connexion between this verse and the preceding is better seen if but in- 
stead of and is used. ' If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is 
none of his, but if Christ be in him, then he is a partaker of the life of 
which Christ is the author,' &c. As in the vs. 7, 8, Paul had confirmed 
the declaration that " to be carnally minded is death ;" he, in vs. 10, 11, 
illustrates the proposition, that " to be spiritually minded is life and 
peace." 

If Christ be in you is evidently of the same import with the preceding 
expressions, to have the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of God dwelling 
in us, which shows that the manner in which Christ dwells in his people 
is by the communication to them of the Holy Spirit. The possession of 
this Spirit is a pledge of life in its fullest sense, even to the resurrection 
of the body. Hence, Paul says, " the body is dead, indeed, on accotinl 
of sin i but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness ;^^ that is, 'To 
have the Spirit of God is to have life, for although the body is destined 
to die on account of sin, still the soul lives, in consequence of its justifi- 
cation and renovation, and even our mortal bodies are hereafter to be 
restored to life by that Spirit that dwelleth in us,' v. 11. 

The body is dead because of sin. This expression and the whole verse 
have been very variously explained ; some understanding them of a spi- 
ritual, and others of a temporal death and resurrection. According to the 
former view, body is understood as equivalent to the word flesh, signify- 
ing corrupt nature; and dead means devoid of power ,- and the phrase 
because of sin is rendered as to sin. But this interpretation does violence 
to usage and the context. Body very rarely, if ever, has the sense thus 
ascribed to it, and when connected with the word dead, it certainly nevei 
has. In the very next verse, too, we have the words mortal bodies, which 



ROMANS 8: 1—11. 187 

do not admit of being understood figuratively. The meaning, according 
to the common interpretation, is natural and consistent with the apostle's 
object. j?%e body, indeed, is dead, i. e. must die, is obnoxious to death, 
notwithstanding the indwelling of the life-giving Spirit, on account of sin* 
Sin is the cause of all infirmities and sorrows, and, finally, of the disso- 
lution to which our bodies are subject in this world. This fact is incon- 
sistent neither with our being in favour with God, nor with our being par- 
takers of the life of Christ. This is evident from two considerations ; 
first, our souls already participate in this life; and, secondly, our bodies 
shall be raised up again, and share for ever in that blessedness of which 
Christ is the author. The former of these considerations is presented in 
the next clause of the verse, hut the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 
If body, in one part of this antithesis, be understood of the external frame, 
Spirit must mean the soul. ' Though the body dies, the soul lives.' To 
live evidently includes, as it almost uniformly does when spoken of in 
relation to the results of Christ's work, the idea of a holy and happy 
existence in the favour of God. The soul thus lives because of right' 
eousness. From the opposition of this word to sin, in the other clause, its 
primary reference must be to the moral renovation of the soul. We shall 
continue in the enjoyment of the life just spoken of, because the principles 
of this new and immortal existence are implanted within us. Intimately 
connected with this meaning of the word rendered righteousness in this 
place, is the other idea which the word expresses, viz. justification. The 
soul shall live, in the fullest sense of the term, because it is reconciled to 
God and regarded by him as righteous for Christ's sake. Though both 
ideas are probably to be included, the former is the more prominent. 

(II) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead 
dwell in you. Such paraphrases for God as that which this verse con- 
tains are very common with the apostle (see Rom. 4 : 24, &c.), and are 
peculiarly appropriate when the force of the argument, in some measure, 
rests on the fact to which the descriptive phrase refers. Because God 
had raised up Christ, there was ground of confidence that he would raise 
his people up also. Two ideas may be included in this part of the verse ; 
first, that the very possession of that Spirit, which is the source of life, 
is a pledge and security that our bodies shall rise again ; because it would 
be unseemly that any thing thus honoured by the Spirit should remain 
under the dominion of death ; and, secondly, that the resurrection of 
Christ secures the resurrection of those that are his, according to Paul's 
doctrine in 1 Cor. 15 : 23. 

He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mor- 
tal bodies. This clause cannot, with any regard to usage or the context, 
be understood of a moral resurrection, or deliverance from sin, as it is 
explained by Calvin and many others. See the analogous passage, 
2 Cor. 4: 14. 

By his Spirit that dwelleth in you, or, as it must be rendered according 
to another reading, " On account of his Spirit that dwelleth in you.^^ The 



188 ROMANS 8: 1—11. 

sense in either case is good. According to the former, the meaaing is, 
that the resurrection of believers will be effected by the power of the 
Spirit of God ; and according to the latter, that the indwelling of his Spirit 
is the ground or reason why the bodies of believers should not be left in 
the grave. The internal evidence is decidedly in favour of the first 
reading. 

It will be remarked, that in this verse, and elsewhere, God is said to 
have raised up Christ from the dead, whereas, in John 10: 17, 18, the 
Saviour claims for himself the power of resuming his life. So here (ac- 
cording to the common reading) we are said to be raised up by the Holy 
Spirit ; in John 6 : 40, Christ says of the believer, " I will raise him up 
at the last day ;" and 2 Cor. 4 : 14, and in many other places, the resur- 
rection of believers is ascribed to God. These passages belong to that 
numerous class of texts in which the same work is attributed to the 
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and which, in connexion with other 
sources of proof, show conclusively that " these three are one;" and that 
the persons of the Adorable Trinity concur in all works ad extra. 

DOCTRINES. 

1 . As the former part of this chapter is an inference from the previous 
discussion, and presents a summary of the great truths already taught, 
we find here united the leading doctrines of the first portion of the epis- 
tle. For example, justification is by faith, v. 1 ; believers are not under 
the law, V. 2; the law is insufiicient for our justification; God has ac- 
complished that object by the sacrifice of his Son, vs. 3, 4 ; and this 
blessing is never disconnected from a holy life, v. 4. 

2. The final salvation of those who are really united to Christ, and 
who show the reality of their union by good works, is secure. This is 
the doctrine of the whole chapter. This section contains two of the 
apostle's arguments in its support. 1. They are free from the law which 
condemned them to death, vs. 2, 3, 4. 2. They are partakers of that 
Spirit which is the author and earnest of eternal life, vs. 5 — 11. 

3. Jesus Christ is truly divine. He is " God's own Son," i. e. par- 
taker of his nature. The Holy Ghost is his Spirit, and he dwells in all 
believers, vs. 3, 11. 

4. Jesus Christ is truly a man. He came in the likeness of men, v. 3. 

5. Christ was a sacrifice for sin, and his sufferings were penal, i. e. 
they were judicially inflicted in support of the law. ' God punished sin 
in him,' v. 3. 

6. The justification of believers involves a fulfilling of the law ; its 
demands are not set aside, v. 4. 

7. Every thing in the Bible is opposed to Antinomianism. Paul 
teaches that justification and sanctification cannot be disjoined. No one 
is or can be in the favour of God who lives after the flesh, vs. 5 — 11. 

8. The necessity of holiness arises out of the very nature of things. 
Sin is death, whereas holiness is life and peace. God has made the con. 



ROMANS 8: 1—11. 189 

nexion between sin and misery, holiness and happiness, necessary and 
immutable, v. 6. 

9. All unrenewed men, that is, all " who are in the flesh," are at once 
the enemies of God and the objects of his displeasure. Their habitual 
and characteristic state of mind, that state which every man has who is 
not " in the Spirit," is enmity to God, and consequently is the object of 
his disapprobation, vs. 6, 8. 

10. The Holy Ghost is the source of all good in man. Those who are 
destitute of his influences are not subject to the law of God, neither in- 
deed can be; for no man can call Jesus Lord, that is, can really recog- 
nise his authority, but by the Holy Ghost, vs. 5 — 8. 

11. Death, and the other evils to which believers are exposed, are on 
account of sin, v. 10. They are no longer, however, the evidences of 
God's displeasure, but of his parental love, Heb. 12 : 6. 

12. The redemption of Christ extends to the bodies as well as the 
souls of his people, v. 11. 



1. There can be no safety, no holiness, and no happiness to those who 
are out of Christ. No safety, because all such are under the condemna- 
tion of the law, vs. 1, 2, 3 ; no holiness, because only such as are united 
to Christ have the Spirit of Christ, v. 9 ; and no happiness, because 
" to be carnally minded is death," v. 6. Hence those who are in Christ 
should be very humble, seeing they are nothing, and he is every thing; 
very grateful, and very holy. And those who are out of Christ should 
at once go to him, that they may attain safety, holiness, and happiness. 

2. The liberty wherewith Christ has made his people free, is a liberty 
from the law and from sin, vs. 2, 5. A legal spirit and an unholy life 
are alike inconsistent with the Christian character. 

3. Believers should be joyful and confident ; for the law is fulfilled ; 
its demands are satisfied as respects them. Who then can condemn, if 
God has justified? v. 4. 

4. There can be no rational or scriptural hope without holiness, and 
every tendency to separate the evidence of the divine favour from the 
evidence of true piety is anti-Christian and destructive, vs. 4 — 8. 

5. The bent of the thoughts, affections, and pursuits is the only de- 
cisive test of character. " They who are after the flesh do mind the 
things of the flesh," &c. v. 5. 

6. It is, therefore, a sure mark of hypocrisy if a man, who professes 
to be a Christian, still minds earthly things, that is, has his affections 
and efforts supremely directed towards worldly objects. 

7. We may as well attempt to wring pleasure out of pain, as to unite 
the indulgence of sin with the enjoyment of happiness, vs. 6, 7. 

8. How blinded must those be who, although at enmity with God, 
and the objects of his displeasure, are sensible neither of their guilt nor 
danger! vs. 7, 8. 



190 ROMANS 8: 12—28. 

9. The great distinction of a true Christian is the indwelling of the 
Holy Spirit. Hence his dignity, holiness, and happiness, vs. 9—11. 

10. If the Spirit of God dwells in the Christian, how careful should 
he be lest any thing in his thoughts or feelings should be offensive to 
this divine guest ! 

11. Christians are bound to reverence their bodies and preserve them 
from all defilement, because they are the members of Christ, and the 
temples of the Holy Ghost, v. 11. 

CHAP. 8: 12—28. 

^^Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the 
flesh. ^^For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the 
Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ^'^For as many as 
are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. *^For ye have 
not received the spirit of bondage again to fear ; but ye have received the 
Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. ^^The Spirit itself 
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God : *7and 
if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so 
be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. ^^For 
I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to he com- 
pared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ^^For the earnest 
expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of 
God. 2°For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but 
by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, ^^because the 
creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into 
the glorious liberty of the children of God. ^^Yoi we know that the 
whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. ^^And 
not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, 
even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to 
wit, the redemption of our body. ^^For we are saved by hope : but hope 
that is seen is not hope : for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope 
for % 25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience 
wait for it. 26Liij;g^ise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities : for we 
know not what we should pray for as we ought : but the Spirit itself 
maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 
*7And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spi- 
rit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of 
God. 28^n(j yfQ know that all things work together for good to them 
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 



This section contains two additional arguments in support of the great 
theme of the chapter, the safety of all who are in Christ. The first is 
derived from their adoption, vs. 12 — 17, and the second from the fact 
that they are sustained by hope and aided by the Spirit under all their 



ROMANS 8 : 12—28. 191 

trials ; so that every thing eventually works together for their good, vs 
18—28. 

Paul had just shown that believers were distinguished by the indwell 
ing of the Spirit. Hence he infers the obligation to live according tc 
the Spirit, and to mortify the deeds of the body, v. 12. If they did this 
they should live, v. 13. Not only because, as previously argued, the 
Spirit is the source of life, but also because all who are led by the Spirit 
are the children of God. This is a new ground of security, v. 14. The 
reality of their adoption is proved, first, by their own filial feelings; as 
God's relation and feelings towards us are always the counterpart of ours 
towards him, v. 15. Secondly, by the testimony of the Spirit itself with 
our spirits, v. 16. If children, the inference is plain that believers shall 
be saved, for they are heirs. Salvation follows adoption, as, among 
men, heirship does sonship. They are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ, 
V. 17. 

(\i is nowise inconsistent with their filial relation to God, nor with 
their safety, that believers are allowed to sufier in this world ; 1. Be- 
cause these sufferings are comparatively insignificant, vs. 18 — 23. 2. 
Because they are sustained by hop*. 3. Because the Spirit itself inter- 
cedes for them. In amplifying the first of these considerations, the 
comparative insignificancy of the sufferings of this present state, the 
apostle presents in contrast the unspeakable blessedness and glory which 
are in reserve for believers, v. 18. To elevate our conceptions of this 
glory, he represents, 1. The whole creation as looking and longing for 
its full manifestation, v. 19, &c. 2. All those who have now a foretaste 
of this blessedness, or the first-fruits of the Spirit, as joining in this 
sense of present wretchedness and earnest desire of the future good, v. 23. 

These afflictions then are not only thus comparatively light in them- 
selves, but they are made still more tolerable by the constant and ele- 
vating anticipation of the future inheritance of the saints, vs. 24, 25. 
Ajid not only so, but the Spirit also sustains us by his intercessions, thus 
securing for us all the good we need, vs. 26 — 28. The salvation, then, 
of believers is secure, notwithstanding their sufferings, inasmuch as 
they are children, and are sustained and aided by the Holy Spirit. 

COMMENTARY. 

C12) Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh to live after the 
flesh. We have here an example of what the rhetoricians call meiosis, 
where less is said than is intended. So far from being debtors to the 
flesh, the very reverse is the case. This passage is an inference from 
the exhibition of the nature and tendency of the flesh, or the carnal mind, 
as hostile to God and destructive to ourselves, vs. 5, 8. As this is its 
nature, and believers are no longer in the flesh, but in the Spirit, they 
are under the strongest obligations not to live after the one, but after the 
other. 

(13) The necessity of thus living is enforced by a repet\tion of the 



192 ROMANS 8: 12—28. 

sentiment of v. 6. To live after the flesh is death ; to live after the Spirit 
is life. For if ye live after the fleshy ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spi" 
"-it, &c. The necessity of holiness, therefore, is absolute. No matter 
what professions we may make, or what hopes we may indulg'e, justifi- 
cation or the manifestation of the divine favour is never separated from 
sanctification. Ye shall die in the comprehensive scriptural sense of that 
word, Rom. 6 : 21, 23 ; see Gal. 6 : 8. £ut if ye through the Spirit do 
mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. The nse of the word mortify y 
to put to death or destroy, seems to have been sug-gested by the context. 
Ye shall die, unless ye put to death the deeds of the body ; see Col. 3 : 
5. The destruction of sin is a slow and painful process. 

Deeds of the body. It is commonly said that body is here equivalent 
to flesh, and, therefore, signifies corruption. But it is very much to be 
doubted whether the word ever has this sense in the New Testament. 
The passages commonly quoted in its behalf, Rom. &: &. 7 : 24. 8 : 10, 
13, are very far from being decisive. It is, therefore, better to take the 
word in its literal and usual sense. The deeds of the body is then a meto- 
nymical expression for sinful deeds in general ; a part being put for the 
whole. Deeds performed by the body, being, by implication, taken for 
evil deeds. 

The destruction of sin is to be effecied through the Spirit, which does 
not mean the renewed feelings of the heart, but, as uniformly throughout 
the passage, the Holy Spirit which dwells in believers ; see v. 14, where 
this Spirit is called " Spirit of God." Ye shall live, i. e. enjoy the life of 
which the Spirit is the author ; including, therefore, holiness, happiness, 
and eternal glory. 

(14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of 
God. This is the reason why all such shall live ; that is, a new argu- 
ment is thus introduced in support of the leading doctrine of the chapter. 
Believers shall enjoy eternal life, not only because they have the Spirit 
of life, but because they are the sons of God. To be led by the Spirit and 
to walk after the Spirit present the same idea, viz. to be under the govern- 
ment of the Spirit, under two different aspects. Gal. 5 : 18. 2 Pet. 1 : 21. 
The former phrase refers to the constant and effectual influence of the 
Holy Ghost in regulating the thoughts, feelings, and conduct of believers. 
Are the sons of God. The term son, in such connexions, expresses mainly 
one or the other of three ideas, and sometimes all of them united. 1. Si- 
milarity of disposition, character or nature; Matt. 5 : 9, 45, "That ye 
may be the children ( Gr. sons) of your Father which is in heaven." So, 
too, " sons of Abraham" are those who are like Abraham ; and " children 
of the devil" are those who are like the devil. 2. Objects of peculiar 
affection. Rom. 9 : 26, Those who were not my people, " shall be called 
sons of the living God;" 2 Cor. 6: 18, "Ye shall be my sons and 
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." So frequently elsewhere. 3. Those 
who have a title to some peculiar dignity or advantage. Thus the " sons 
of Abraham" are those who are heirs with Abraham of the same promise, 



ROMANS 8: 12—28. 193 

Gal. 3 : 8, seq. John I : 12. 1 John 3:2," Beloved, now are we the sons 
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be," &c. The term 
may indeed express any one of the various relations in which children 
stand to their parents, as derived from them, dependent on them, &c. &c. 
The above, however, are the most common of its meanings. In this pas- 
sage the first and third ideas appear specially intended. ' Believers shall 
live, because they are the peculiar objects of the divine aifection, and are 
heirs of his kingdom,' vs. 15, 16. That those who are led by the Spirit 
are really the sons of God, appears from their own filial feelings, and 
from the testimony of the Spirit. 

For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear^ hut ye have 
received the Spirit of adoption, &c. That is, * The Holy Spirit, which 
you have received, does not produce a slavish and anxious state of mind, 
such as those experience who are under the law ; but it produces the filial 
feelings of affection, reverence, and confidence, and enables us, out of the 
fulness of our hearts, to call God our Father.' 

The phrase, the spirit of bondage, may mean a feeling or sense of bond- 
age, as " spirit of meekness," 1 Cor. 4 : 21, may mean meekness itself; 
and " spirit of fear," 2 Tim. 1 : 7, fear itself. This use of the word spirit 
is not uncommon. Or it may mean the Holy Spirit as the author of 
bondage. ' Believers have not received a spirit which produces slavish 
feelings, but the reverse.' The context is decidedly in favour of this 
view : because Paul has been speaking of the Holy Spirit as dwelling in 
Christians. This Spirit is that which- they have received, and is the 
author of their characteristic feelings. In the words again to fear there 
is an evident allusion to the state of believers prior to the reception of the 
Spirit. It was a state of bondage in which they feared, i. e. were go- 
verned by a slavish and anxious apprehension of punishment. In this 
state are all unconverted men, whether Jews or Gentiles, because they 
are all under the law, or the bondage of a legal system. 

Spirit of adoption; the spirit which produces the feelings which chil- 
dren have. Adoption is for sonship. By which we cry, Abba, Father, i. e. 
which enables us to address God as our Father. Jihba is the Syriac and 
Chaldee form of the Hebrew word for father, and, therefore, was to the 
apostle the most familiar term. As such, it would doubtless, more natu- 
rally and fully, express his filial feeling towards God, than the foreign 
Greek word. 

(16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the 
children of God. ' Not only do our own filial feelings towards God prove 
that we are his children, but the Holy Spirit itself conveys to our souls 
the assurance of this delightful fact.' 

The Spirit itself is, of course, the Holy Spirit, 1. Because of the 
obvious distinction between it and our spirit. 2. Because of this use of 
the word throughout the passage ; and 3.' Because of the analogy to other 
texts which cannot be otherwise explained. Gal. 4:6," God hath sent 
forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father ;" Rom, 

R 



194 ROMANS 8: 12—28. 

5 : 5, " The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost 
given unto us," &c. 

Beareih luitness with our spirit, that is, ' beareth witness, together with 
our own filial feelings, to our spirit.' Or, simply, * assures our spirit.' 
Beareth witness to, means confirms or assures. * The Spirit of God pro- 
duces in our spirit the assurance that we are the children of God.' How 
this is done, we cannot fully understand, any more than we can under- 
stand the mode in which he produces any other effect in our mind. The 
fact is clearly asserted here as well as in other passages. See Rom. 5 : 
5, where the conviction that we are the objects of the love of God, is said 
to be produced " by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." See 2 Cor. 
1: 22. 5:5. Eph. 1:13. 4 : 30 ; and in 1 Cor. 2 : 4, 5, and 1 John 2 : 
20, 27, and other passages, the conviction of the truth of the gospel is, in 
like manner, attributed to the Holy Spirit. 

(17) £nd if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with 
Christ, &c. This is the inference from our adoption in favour of the 
great theme of the chapter, the safety of belieyers. If the children of 
God, they shall become partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. 
The words to inherit, heirs, and inheritance, are all of them used in a gene- 
ral sense in the Scriptures, in reference to the secure possession of any 
good, without regard to the mode in which that possession is obtained. 
They are favourite terms with the sacred writers, because possession by 
inheritance was much more secure than that obtained by purchase or by 
any other method. There are three ideas included in these words acces- 
sory to that which constitutes their prominent meaning; the right, 
the certainty, and the unalienable character of the possession. Hence, 
when the apostle says, believers are the heirs of God, he means to recog- 
nise their title, in and through the Redeemer, to the promised good, as 
well as the certainty and security of the possession. " And if ye be 
Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise," 
Gal. 3 : 29. In Gal. 4 : 7, we have the same argument as in the passage 
before us, " Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son ; and if a son, 
then an heir of God through Christ ;" see Col. 3 : 24. Heb. 9 : 15. Eph. 
1 : 14, &c. Joint heirs with Christ. These words are intended to desig- 
nate the inheritance which believers are to receive. It is not any posses- 
sion in this world, but it is that good of which Christ himself is the reci- 
pient; we are to be partakers of his inheritance. This idea is frequently 
presented in the Scriptures. " E nter ye into the joy of your Lord ," Matt. 
25 : 21 ; " That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom," Luke 
22 : 30; "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my 
throne," &c. Rev. 3 : 21, and in many other places. 

If so he that we suffer with him, that we may also he glorified together. 
That, at the beginning of the second clause, expresses merely the result. 
* If we suffer, then also shall we be glorified.' The union of believers 
with Christ, in suffering as well as in glory, is what he and his apostles 
taught them to expect. " If any man will come after me, let him deny 



ROMANS 8: 12—28. 195 

himself, and take up his cross and follow we," Matt. 16 : 24 ; " If we be 
dead with him^ we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also 
reign with Azm," 2 Tim. 2 : 11, 12. 

(18) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not wor- 
thy to he compared^ &c. * If children, then heirs, for I do not think our 
present sufferings inconsistent with our being either the children or heirs 
of God. 1. Because they are comparatively insignificant, vs. 18 — 23; 
and 2. Because we are sustained under them, vs. 24 — 28.' In 2 Cor. 4 : 
17, Paul speaks much in the same manner of the lightness of the afflic- 
tions of this life in comparison with the glory that shall he revealed in us. 
We are not only the recipients of a great favour, but the subjects in which 
a great display of the divine glory is to be made to others, Eph. 3 : 10. 
It is a revelation of glory in us ; see Col. 3 : 4. 1 John 3 : 2. 

The apostle, fired with the thought of the future glory of the saints, 
pours forth the splendid passage which follows (vs. 19 — 23), in which he 
represents the whole creation groaning under its present degradation, and 
looking and longing for the revelation of this glory as the end and con- 
summation of its existence. 

(19) For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the mani- 
festation of the sons of God. This and the following verses are evidently 
intended to exalt our conceptions of the future glory of the children of 
God, in order to illustrate the truth of the declaration, that, in comparison 
with that glory, the evils of the present state are not worthy of a thought. 

* The earnest expectation. This is a strong expression. The Greek word 
is etymologically expressive of the gesture of expectation, a looking with 
outstretched neck. 

What is meant in this passage by the creature, and afterwards by the 
whole creation, is a very difficult question. As the usage of the term 
admits of various interpretations, the decision of the point must rest on 
the context. With which well authorized sense of the word rendered 
creature (Kriaig) will the context best agree? To answer this question 
we must know what the context means. It will, therefore, be better to 
defer any remarks on this point, until after the examination of the few 
next succeeding verses. 

The first thing asserted of this creature is, that it waits for the manifes- 
tation of the sons of God. That is, for the time when they shall be mani- 
fested in their true character and glory as his sons. " Beloved, now are 
we the sons of God ; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but we 
know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him," 1 John 3 : 2. 
The period thus designated is one for which the whole creation longs, 
because it is to share in the glory then to be revealed. From this verse, 
and from v. 23, it is plain that the creation and sons of God are distinct. 

(20) For the creature was made subject to vanity, &c. There are in 
this verse three reasons expressed or implied, why the creature thus 
waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. The first is, that it is 
now in a miserable condition, " subject to vanity." 2. That this subjec- 



196 ROMANS 8: 12—28. 

tion was not voluntary, but imposed by God. 3. That it was never 
designed to be final. 

The creature is subject to vanity. As remarked above (ch. 1 : 21), 
vanity and wickedness are very nearly associated ideas in the Scripture; 
vain or foolish being often synonymous with cm-rupt or wicked. Vanity^ 
therefore, is interchanged with corruption in the next verse, and expresses 
both the idea of frailty (corruption), and consequently misery. It is the 
opposite of the glorious state expected, and, therefore, expresses every 
thing which distinguishes unfavourably the present from the glorious 
future. To this state the creature was made subject, no^ willingly, but by 
reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope. Not willingly, i. e. 
not of its own accord. The state of corruption is one to which it was 
loath to be made subject, and from which it would fain be delivered. Or, 
not by its own free act, but the act of another. Which idea should be 
preferred depends on the manner in which the next clause is understood. 

By reason of him who hath subjected. The original may mean either, 
on account of him, &c., or by him. If the former rendering be preferred, 
the passage means, ' The creature was made subject to its present degraded 
condition, not from any fondness for it, but out of regard to the authority 
of God.' If the latter, the meaning is, ' This subjection was not the result 
of the voluntary act of the creature, but was effected by God.' The former 
is best suited to the usual force of this preposition here used, when con- 
nected with the accusative, but the latter gives the better sense ; and is 
by no means inconsistent with the use of the preposition in question, 
and is, therefore, to be preferred. The words in hope may be connected 
either with the immediately preceding clause, God hath subjected it in 
hope ; or with the previous member of the sentence, ' The creature was 
made subject to vanity (not voluntarily, but by God) in hope.'* That is, 
the subjection was not hopeless, see Acts 2 : 26. The latter mode is 
much to be preferred on account of the following verse. 

(21) Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bond- 
age of corruption, &c. This verse, according to our version, assigns the 
reason why the subjection of the creature was not hopeless. This rea- 
son is, that the creature was to share in the glorious redemption. The 
particle, however, rendered because, may be rendered that, and the verse 
then indicates the object of the hope just spoken of. The subjection 
was with the hope that the creature should be delivered. In either way 
the sense is nearly the same. The creature itself also is another of the 
forms of expression which show that Paul speaks of the creation in a 
sense which does not embrace the children of God. Bond-age of corrup- 
tion,^ i. e. bondage to corruption. The state of frailty and degradation 
spoken of above. 

Delivered, or liberated into the liberty, is an elliptical form of expres- 
sion for ^Delivered and introduced into the liberty.'' Liberty of glory, 
as the words literally mean, or glorious liberty, refer to that liberty 
which consists in, or is connected with the glory which is the end and 



ROMANS 8: 12—28. 197 

consummation of the work of redemption. Tiiis word often is used for 
the whole of the results of the work of Christ as far as his people are 
concerned, (See v. 18.) The creature then is to be a partaker in some 
way, according to its nature, of the glories in reserve for the sons of God. 

(22) For Vie know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in 
pain togtiher until now. This verse is a repetition and confirmation of 
the preceding sentiment. *The creature is subject to vanity, and longs 
for deliverance ; for we see, from universal and long continued expe- 
rience, the whole creation groaning and travailing in pain.' It is, how- 
ever, as Calvin remarks, the pains of birth, and not of death. After 
sorrow comes the joy of a new existence. The word together may have 
reference to the whole creation which groans together, all its parts uniting 
and sympathizing ; or it may refer to the sons of God, ' For the whole 
creation groans together with the sons of God.' On account of the fol- 
lowing verse, in which Christians are specially introduced as joining 
with the whole creation in this sense of present misery and desire of fu- 
ture good, the former method of understanding the passage seems pre- 
ferable. Until now, from the beginning until the present time. The 
creature has always been looking forward to the day of redemption. 

(23) ^nd not only so, but ourselves also, who have the Jirst-fruits of 
the Spirit, &e. * Not only does the whole creation thus groan, but we 
ourselves, we Christians, who have a foretaste of heavenly bliss, the 
first-fruits of the glorious inheritance, we groan within ourselves, and 
long for the consummation of glory.' The Jirst-fruits were that portion 
of the productions of the earth which were offered to God. From the 
nature of the case, they contained the evidence and assurance of the 
whole harvest being secured. The idea, therefore, of an earnest or 
pledge is included in the phrase, as well as that of priority. See 1 Cor. 
15 : 20. Rom. 11 : 16. 16 : 5. 1 Cor. 16 : 15. James 1 : 18. The phrases, 
therefore, the Spirit which is the Jirstfruits, and the Spirit which is an 
earnest, are synonymous. The Spirit is the first-fruits of the full in- 
heritance of the saints in light. The expression in the text, therefore, is 
descriptive of all Christians, and not of any particular class of them ; 
that is, it is not to be confined to those who first received the influences 
of the Spirit, or were first converted. 

Even we ourselves, or and we ourselves. * Not only the whole crea- 
tion, but we Christians, even we,' &c. Groan within ourselves, wait- 
ing for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our hody. What in the 
previous verse he had called the manifestation of the sons of God, he 
here calls the adoption ; the time when it shall appear what we shall be, 
as the apostle John expresses it. The redemption of the body is not so 
in opposition with the adoption that the two phrases are equivalent. 
The adoption includes far more than the redemption of the body. But 
the latter event is to be coincident with the former, and is included in it 
as one of its most prominent parts. Both expressions, therefore, desig- 
nate the same period. ' We wait for the time when we shall be fully 

r2 



198 ROMANS 8: 12—28. 

recognised as the children of God, i. e. for the time when our vile bodies 
shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of the Son of God.' This 
is the period towards which all eyes and all hearts have been directed 
among those who have had the first-fruits of the Spirit since the fall of 
Adam ; and for which the whole creation groaneth and is in travail even 
until now. 



The principal arguments in favour of the interpretation just given of 
this interesting passage, are the following : 

The word rendered creature means the act of founding or creating 
Rom. 1 : 20; and then that which is created, Rom. 1 : 25. Col. 1 : 15, 
The expression the whole creation may, according to the context, mean 
the rational or irrational creation. That in this case it refers to the latter 
may be argued, 1. Because it cannot be said of mankind generally, or of 
the rational creation, that they are waiting with earnest desire for the 
manifestation of the sons of God; that they were made subject to their 
present state of corruption not of their own accord, but by God ; and that 
they are to be made partakers of the glorious liberty of the sons of God. 
2. All this can be said, in strict accordance with the Scriptures, of the 
external world. The Scriptures frequently speak of the whole creation 
as a sentient being, rejoicing in God's favour, trembling at his anger, 
speaking abroad his praise, &c., as Paul here represents it as longing for 
the great consummation of all things. Again, it is agreeable to Scrip- 
ture to speak of the earth as cursed for man's sake, as made subject to 
vanity not on its own account, but by the act of God in punishment of 
the sins of men. Finally, it is according to the word of God to repre- 
sent the creation as participating in the blessings and glories of the Mes- 
siah's reign. Isa. 35 : 1. 29 : 17. 32 : 15, 16. 2 Pet. 3 : 7—13. Heb. 
12 : 26, 27. 3. This interpretation is suitable to the design of the apos- 
tle. Paul's object is not to confirm the certainty of a future state, but to 
produce a strong impression of its glorious character. Nothing could be 
better adapted to this object than the grand and beautiful figure of the 
whole creation waiting and longing for the glorious revelation of the Son 
of God, and the consummation of his kingdom. 



(24, 25) The apostle, intending to show that the present afflictions of 
believers are not inconsistent with their being the children of God, and 
are therefore no ground of discouragement, refers not only to their compa- 
^rative insignificance, but also to the necessity which there is, from the 
I nature of the case, for these sufferings. ' Salvation, in its fulness, is not 
a present good, but a matter of hope, and of course future ; and if future, 
it follows that we must wait for it in patient and joyful expectation.' 
While, therefore, waiting for salvation is necessary from the nature of 
the case, the nature of the blessing waited for, converts expectation int» 
desire, and enables us patiently to endure all present evils. 



ROMANS 8: 12—28. 199 

For we are saved hy hope. At the close of the preceding verse Paul 
had spoken of believers as " waiting for the adoption.'''' They thus wait, 
because salvation is not a present good, but a future one. We are saved 
in hope, i. e. in prospect. The dative, in which form the word for hope 
here occurs, does not in this case express the means by which any thing 
is done, but the condition or circumstances in which it is. It is, there- 
fore, analogous to our forms of expression, we have a thing in expectation 
or prospect. Salvation is a blessing we have in hope, not in possession ; 
if it be the one, it cannot be the other, since hope that is seen is not hope. 
It lies in the nature of hope that its object must be future. The word hope 
is here used objectively for the thing hoped for, as in Col. 1 : 5, "The 
hope that is laid up for you in heaven ;" Heb. 6 : 18. Eph. 1 : 18, &c. 
The latter clause of the verse, for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope 
for, is only a confirmation of the previous declaration that it lies in the 
nature of hope to have reference to the future. 

(25) But if we hope for that we see not, &c. That is, ' If hope has 
reference to the unseen and the future, then as salvation is a matter of 
hope, it is a matter to be waited for.' (It results, therefore, from the nature 
of the plan of redemption, that the full fruition of its blessing should not 
be obtained at once, but that, through much tribulation, believers should 
enter into the kingdom ; consequently, their being called upon to suffer 
is not at all inconsistent with their being sons and heirsA Then do we 
with patience wait for it. There is something more implied in these 
words than that salvation, because unseen, must be waited for. This no 
doubt, from the connexion, is the main idea, but we not only wait, but we 
wait with patience or constancy. {There is something in the very expec- 
tation of future good, and, especially, of such good, the glory that shall be 
revealed in us, to produce not only the patient, but even joyful endurance 
of all present suffering.) 

(26) JVof only so. Not only does hope thus cheer and support the suf- 
fering believer, but likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. Like- 
wise, literally, in the same way. As hope sustains, so, in the same man- 
ner, the Spirit does also. Not that the mode of assistance is the same, 
but simply as the one does, so also does the other. Helpeth, the word 
thus rendered, means to take hold of any thing with another, to take part 
in his burden, and thus to aid. It is, therefore, peculiarly expressive and 
appropriate. It represents the condescending Spirit as taking upon him- 
self, as it were, a portion of our sorrows to relieve us of their pressure. 
Our infirmities is the appropriate rendering of the original, which ex- 
presses the idea both of weakness and suffering. Heb. 4 : 15, " We have 
not an high priest which cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmi- 
ties ;" 2 Cor. 12 : 5, " I will not glory but in mine infirmities." 

For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; hut the 
Spirit, &c. This is said as an illustration and confirmation of the previous 
general declaration ; it is an example of the way in which the Spirit aids 
us. ' He helpeth our infirmities, for he teaches us how to pray, dictating 



200 ROMANS 8: 12—28. 

to us our supplications,' &c. The necessity for this aid arises from 3ur 
ignorance, we know not what to pray for. We cannot tell what is really 
best for us. Heathen philosophers gave this as a reason why men ought 
not to pray ! How miserable their condition when compared to ours. 
Instead of our ignorance putting a seal upon our lips and leaving our 
hearts to break, the Spirit gives our desires a language heard and under- 
stood of God. As we do not know how to pray, the Spirit teaches us. 
This idea the apostle expresses by saying the Spirit itself maketh inter- 
cession for us. The simple verb rendered he maketh intercession, properly 
means to meet, then to approach any one to make supplication, Acts 25 : 
24. This supplication may be against any one, Rom. 11 : 2, or for him, 
V. 34. Heb. 7 : 25. Hence, to intercede for is to act the part of advo- 
cate in behalf of any one. This Christ is said to do for us in the last 
two passages cited, as well as in Heb. 9 : 24. 1 John 2 : 1, and John 14 : 
IG, for Christ calls the Holy Spirit " another advocate," i. e. another 
than himself. This office is ascribed to the Spirit in the last passage 
quoted in John 14 : 26.'M5 : 26, and 16 : 7, as well as in the passage 
before us. As the Spirit is thus said, in the general, to do for us what 
an advocate did for his client, so he does also what it was the special 
duty of the advocate to perform, i. e. to dictate to his clients what they 
ought to say, how they should present their cause. In this sense the 
present passage is to be understood. ' We do not know how to pray, but 
the Spirit teaches. He excites in us those desires which, though never 
uttered except in sighs, or which, though too big for utterance, are 
known and heard of God.' It is doubtful whether Paul means to say 
these groanings cannot be uttered, or simply, that they are not uttered ; 
desires which vent themselves only in sighs. The Greek word admits 
of either sense, and either is suited to the context. 

(27) Though these desires are not or cannot be clothed in words, the 
eye of him who searches the heart can read and understand them there. 
Jlnd he who searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spi- 
rit. The conjunction ought to be rendered disjunctively. * The groan- 
ings cannot be uttered, hut they are neither unintelligible nor neglected.' 
He who searcheth the hearts is a common paraphrase for God, and here 
most appropriate. As no man knoweth the thoughts of a man, save the 
spirit of man that is in him ; to read those unexpressed emotions of the 
soul is the prerogative of that Being to whose eyes all things are naked 
and opened. " I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins," Jer. 17 : 10 ; 
see Ps. 7 : 9. Rev. 2 : 23, &c. &c. 

Knoweth the mind of the Spirit. Not simply understands, but recog- 
nises and approves, as he knows " the ways of the righteous," Ps. 1:6. 
The former idea, that of understanding, though the more prominent, does 
not exclude the other. The mind of the Spirit, i. e. those feelings or 
that state of mind of which the Spirit is the author, the desires which 
the Spirit calls forth in our souls. The Spirit must necessarily be thai 
Spirit which intercedes for the saints ; and which, in the preceding verso, 



ROMANS 8: 12—28. 201 

is expressly distinguished from our souls. The interpretation, therefore, 
which makes " the mind of the Spirif^ mean the desires of our spirit^ 
though it would give a very good sense, is irreconcilable with the con- 
text. 

Because he raaketh intercession for the saints according to the will of 
God. This is the reason why God is said to know, i. e. not only to un- 
derstand, but to approve the mind of the Spirit, or those unutterable 
ongings which the Spirit excites. Being produced by the Spirit of 
God himself, they are, of course, agreeable to the will of God, and secure 
of being approved and answered. This is the great consolation and sup- 
port of believers. They know not either what is best for themselves or 
agreeable to the will of God ; but the Holy Spirit dictates those petitions 
and excites those desires which are consistent with the divine purposes, 
and which are directed towards blessings the best suited to our wants. 
Such prayers are always answered. "And this is the confidence that 
we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth 
us," 1 John 5 : 14. 

(28) ^nd we know all things work together for good to them that 
love God, &c. This may be regarded as virtually, though not formally, 
an inference from what Paul had taught concerning afflictions. As they 
are comparatively insignificant, as they call forth the exercises of hope 
and give occasion for the kind interposition of the Holy Spirit, far from 
being inconsistent with our salvation, they contribute to our good. It 
seems, however, more natural to considet the apostle as presenting the 
consideration contained in this verse as an additional reason why the 
afiliictions of this life are not inconsistent with our being the sons of God, 
These afflictions are real blessings. Ml things, as is usually the case 
with such general expressions, is to be limited to the things spoken of 
in the context, i. e. the sufferings of the present time. See 1 Cor. 2 : 15, 
where the spiritual man is said to understand " all things;" Col. 1 : 20, 
where Christ is said to reconcile " all things unto God;" and Eph. 1 : 
10, with many other similar passages. Of course it is not intended that 
other events, besides afflictions, do not work together for the good of 
Christians, but merely that this idea is not here expressed by the apostle. 

Those to whom afflictions are a real blessing are described, first, as 
those who love God ; and, secondly, as those who are called according 
to his purpose. The former of these clauses describes the character of 
the persons intended ; they love God, which is a comprehensive expres 
sion for all the exercises of genuine religion. The latter clause declares 
a fact, with regard to all such, which has a most important bearing on 
♦he apostle's great object in this chapter, they are called according to his 
purpose. The word called, as remarked above (1 : 7), is never, in the 
epistles of the New Testament, applied to those who are the recipients 
of the mere external invitation of the gospel. It always means effectu- 
ally called, i. e. it is always applied to those who are really brought to 
accept of the blessings to which they are invited. This call is not 



202 ROMANS 8 : 12—28. 

according to the merits of men, but according to the divine purpose. 
»' Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to 
our w^orks, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given 
us in Christ Jesus before the world began," 2 Tim. 1 : 9. Eph. 1 : 11. 
Rom. 9:11. The design of the apostle, in the introd uction of this clause, 
seems to have been twofold. First, to show, according to his usual 
manner, that the fact that some men love God is to be attributed to his 
sovereign grace, and not to themselves ; and, secondly, that if men are 
called, according to the eternal purpose of God, their salvation is secure. 
By this latter idea this clause is associated with the passage that fol- 
lows, and with the general object of the chapter. That the calling of 
men does secure their salvation is proved in vs. 29 — 30. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. True Christians are the sons of God, objects of his affection, par- 
takers of his moral nature, and heirs of his kingdom, v. 14. 

2. The relation of God to us is necessarily the counterpart of ours to 
him. If we feel as friends to him, he feels as a friend towards us ; if 
our sentiments are filial, his are parental, v. 15. 

3. God, who is every where present and active, manifests his pre- 
sence, and communicates with his creatures, in a manner accordant with 
their nature, although in a way that is inscrutable, v. 16. 

4. Assurance of salvation has a twofold foundation. The experience 
of those affections which are the evidences of true piety, and the witness 
of the Holy Spirit. The latter can never be separated from the former; 
for the Spirit can never testify to what is not the truth. He can never 
assure an enemy that he is a child of God, v. 16. 

5. Union with Christ is the source of all our blessings of justification 
and sanctification, as taught in the previous chapters, and of salvation, 
as taught in this, v. 17. 

6. Afflictions are not inconsistent with the divine favour, nor with our 
being the sons of God, vs. 18 — 25. 

7. The future glory of the saints must be inconceivably great, if the 
whole creation, from the beginning of the world, groans and longs for 
its manifestation, vs. 19 — 23. 

8. The curse consequent on the fall has affected the state of the exter- 
nal world. The consummation of the work of redemption may be at- 
tended with its regeneration, vs. 20 — 22. 

9. The present influences of the Spirit are first-fruits of the inherit- 
ance of the saints ; the same in kind with the blessings of the future 
state, though less in degree. They are a pledge of future blessedness, 
and always produce an earnest longing for the fruition of the full inherit- 
ance, V. 23. 

10. As, for wise reasons, salvation is not immediately consequent on 
regeneration, hope, which is the joyful expectation of future good, be- 
comes the duty, solace, and support of the Christian, vs. 34, 25 



ROMANS 8: 12—28. * 203 

11. The Holy Spirit is our Paraclete (John 14: 16) or advocate, we 
are his clients, we know not how to plead our own cause, but he dictates 
to us what we ought to say. This office of the Spirit ought to be recog- 
nised, sought, and gratefully acknowledged, v. 26. 

12. Prayer to be acceptable must be according to the will of God, 
and it always is so when it is dictated or excited by the Holy Spirit, 
V. 27. 

13. All events are under the control of God ; and even the greatest 
afflictions are productive of good to those who love him, v. 28. 

14. The calling or conversion of men, involving so many of their free 
acts, is a matter of divine purpose, and it occurs in consequence of its 
being so, v. 28. * 



1. If God, by his Spirit, condescends to dwell in us, it is our highest 
duty to allow ourselves to be governed or led by him, vs. 12, 13. 

2. It is a contradiction in terms, to profess to be the sons of God, if 
destitute of the filial feelings of confidence, affection, and reverence, 
V. 15. 

3. A spirit of fear, so far from being an evidence of piety, is an 
evidence of the contrary. The filial spirit is the genuine spirit of reli- 
gion, V. 15. 

4. Assurance of hope is not fanatical, but is an attainment which every 
Christian should make. If the witness of men is received, the witness 
of God is greater. As the manifestation of God's love to us is made in 
exciting our love towards him, so the testimony of his Spirit with ours, 
that we are the sons of God, is made when our filial feelings are in lively 
exercise, v. 16. 

5. Christians ought neither to expect nor wish to have suffering with 
Christ disconnected with their being glorified with him. The former is 
a preparation for the latter, v. 17. 

6. The afflictions of this life, though in themselves not joyous but 
grievous, are worthy of little regard in comparison with the glory that 
shall be revealed in us. To bear these trials properly, we should think 
much of the manifestation of the sons of God, v. 18. 

7. As the present state of things is one of bondage to corruption, as 
there is a dreadful pressure of sin and misery on the whole creation, we 
should not regard the world as our home, but desire deliverance from this 
bondage, and introduction into the liberty of the children of God, vs. 
19—22. 

8. It is characteristic of genuine piety to have exalted conceptions of 
future blessedness, and earnest longings after it. Those, therefore, who 
are contented with the world and indifferent about heaven, can hardly 
possess the first-fruits of the Spirit, v. 23. 

9. Hope and patience are always united. If we have a well-founded 
hope of heaven, then do we with patience and fortitude wait for it. This 



204 ROMANS 8: 29—39. 

believing resignation and joyful expectation of the promises are pecu 
liarly pleasing in the sight of God and honourable to religion, vs. 24, 25 

10. How wonderful the condescension of the Holy Spirit I How 
great his kindness in teaching us, as a parent his children, how to pray 
and what to pray for ! How abundant the consolation thus afforded to 
the pious in the assurance that their prayers shall be heard, vs. 26, 27. 

11. Those who are in Christ, who love God, may repose in perfect 
security beneath the shadow of his wings. All things shall work 
together for their good, because all things are under the control of him 
who has called them to the possession of eternal life according to his own 
purpose, V. 28. 

CHAP. 8 : 29—39. 

^^For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to he conformed 
to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many 
brethren. ^"Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called : and 
whom he called, them he also justified : and whom he justified, them he 
also glorified. 3i\Vhat shall we then say to these things ] If God he for 
us, who can he against us 1 ^^He that spared not his own Son, but delivered 
him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ? 
^3 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect 1 // is God that 
justifieth. 34^[jo is ^e that condemnethl // is Christ that died, yea 
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also 
maketh intercession for us. ^^VVho shall separate us from the love of 
Christ ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or naked- 
ness, or peril, or sword"? ^^As it is written. For thy sake we are killed 
all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. ^"Nay, 
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved 
us. 38Pqj. j ^^ persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor 
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ^^nor 
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us 
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

ANALYSIS. 

This section contains the exhibition of two additional arguments in 
favour of the safety of believers. The first of these is founded on tlie 
decree or purpose of God, vs. 29, 30 ; and the second, on his infinite and 
unchanging love, vs. 31 — 39. In his description of those with regard to 
whom all things shall work together for good, Paul had just said that 
they were such who are called or converted in execution of a previous 
purpose of God, v. 28. If this is the case, the salvation of believers is 
secure, because the plan on which God acts is connected in all its parts ; 
whom he foreknows, he predestinates, calls, justifies, and glorifies. 
Those, therefore, who are called, shall certainly be saved, vs. 29, 30. 
Secondly, if God is for us, who can be against us ? If God so loved us as 



ROMANS 8 : 29—39. 205 

to give his Son for us, he will certainly save us, vs. 31, 32. This love 
has already secured our justification, and has made abundant provision 
for the supply of all our vrants, vs. 33, 34. 

The triumphant conclusion from all these arguments, that nothing shall 
separate us from the love of Christ, but that we shall be more than con- 
querors over all enemies and difficulties, is given in vs. 35 — 39. 

COMMENTARY. 

(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate, he. The 
connexion of this verse with the preceding, and the force of for, appears 
from what has already been said. Believers are called in accordance with 
a settled plan and purpose of God, /or whom he calls he had previously 
predestinated : and as all the several steps or stages of our salvation are 
included in this plan of the unchanging God, if we are predestinated and 
called, we shall be justified and glorified. 

Whom he did foreknow. As the words to know and foreknow are 
used in three different senses, applicable to the present passage, there is 
considerable diversity of opinion which should be preferred. The word 
may express prescience simply, according to its literal meaning; or, as to 
knoio is often to approve and love, it may express the idea of peculiar 
affection in this case ; or it may mean to select ox determine upon. Among 
those who adopt one or the other of these general views, there is still a 
great diversity as to the manner in which they understand the passage. 
These opinions are too numerous to be here recited. 

As the literal meaning of the word to foreknow gives no adequate sense, 
inasmuch as all men are the objects of the divine prescience, whereas the 
apostle evidently designed to express by the word something that could 
be asserted only of a particular class ; those who adopt this meaning here 
supply something to make the sense complete. Who he foreknew woiila 
repent and believe, or who would not resist his divine influence, or some 
such idea. There are two objections to this manner of explaining the 
passage. 1. The addition of this clause is entirely gratuitous; and, if 
unnecessary, it is, of course, improper. There is no such thing said, 
and, therefore, it should not be assumed, without necessity, to be implied. 
2. It is in direct contradiction to the apostle's doctrine. It makes the 
ground of our calling and election to be something in us, our works ; 
whereas Paul says that such is not the ground of our being chosen. " Who 
hath called us not according to our works, but according to his own pur- 
pose and grace," &c., 2 Tim. 1 : 9. Rom. 9 : 11, where the contrary doc- 
trine is not only asserted, but proved and defended. 

The second and third interpretations do not essentially differ. The one 
is but a modification of the other; for whom God peculiarly loves, he 
does thereby distinguish from others, which is in itself a selecting or 
choosing of them from among others. The usage of the word is favour- 
able to either modification of this general idea of preferring. " The peo- 
ple which he foreknew," i. e. loved or selected, Rom. 11 : 2; " Who 

S 




206 ROMANS 8 : 29—39. 

verily was fore-ordained (Gr. foreknotvn), i. e. Jixed upon, chosen before 
the foundation of the world," 1 Pet. 1 : 20. 2 Tim. 2 : 19. John 10 : 14, 
15 ; see also Acts 2 : 23. 1 Pet. 1 : 2. The idea, therefore, obviously is, 
that those whom God peculiarly loved, and by thus loving distinguished 
or selected from the rest of mankind ; or to express both ideas in one 
word, those whom he elected he predestined, &c. 

He also did predestinate to be cojiformed to the image of his Son. To 
predestinate is to destine or appoint beforehand, as the original word is 
used in Acts 4 : 28, " To do whatsoever thy hand and counsel determined 
before to be done ;" " Having predestinated us unto the adoption of 
children," Eph. 1:5; "Being predestinated according to the purpose 
of him who workethall things after the counsel of his own will," Eph. 1: 
11. In all the cases in which this predestination is spoken of, the idea 
is distinctly recognised, that the ground of the choice which it implies is 
not in us. We are chosen in Christ, or according to the free purpose of 
God, &c. This is a/ore-ordination, a determination which existed in the 
divine mind long prior to the occurrence of the event, even before the 
foundation of the world, Eph. 1 : 4 ; so that the occurrences in time are the 
manifestations of the eternal purpose of God, and the execution of the 
plan of which they form a part. 

The end to which those whom God has chosen, are predestined, is 
conformity to the image of his Son, i. e. that they might be like his Son 
in character and destiny. He hath chosen us " that we should be holy 
and without blame before him," Eph. 1:4. 4: 24. " He hath predes- 
tined us to the adoption," i. e. to the state of sons, Eph. 1:5. " As we 
have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the 
heavenly," 1 Cor. 15 : 49 ; see Phil. 3 : 21. 1 John 3:2. As Paul in 
verse 17, had spoken of our suffering with Christ, and in the subsequent 
passage was principally employed in showing that though in this respect 
we must be like Christ, it was not inconsistent with our being sons and 
heirs, so here, when we are said to be conformed to the image of Christ, 
the idea of our bearing the same cross is not to be excluded. We are to 
be like our Saviour in moral character, in our present sufferings and 
future glory. 

That he might he the Jirst-born among many brethren. This clause 
may express the design or merely the result of what had just been said. 
' God predestinated us to be sons, in order that Christ might be,' &c. or 
' He made us his sons, hence Christ is,' &c. The Jirst-born generally 
expresses merely the idea of pre-eminence. Ps. 89 : 27, "I will make 
him my first-born," 1. e. I will highly distinguish him. Col. 1 : 15, 
" First-born of every creature," i. e. the head of the creation. As all 
those who are called are destined to bear the image of Christ, to share ir 
the dignity, purity, and blessedness of the children of God, the result will 
be, that Christ, who partakes of our nature, and is not ashamed to call us 
brethren, will be the glorious head and leader of the sons of God, a mul 
titude which no man can number. 



ROMANS 8: 29—39. 207 

(30) Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called. Those 
whom he had thus fore-ordained to be conformed to the image of his Son 
in moral character, in suffering, and in future glory, he effectually calls, 
i. e. leads by the external invitation of the gospel, and by the efficacious 
operation of his grace, to the end to which they are destined. That the 
calling here spoken of is not the mere external call of the gospel, is evi- 
dent both from the usage of the word, and from the necessity of the case ; 
see 1 Cor. 1 : 9, " God is faithful by whom ye were called to the fellow- 
ship of his Son," i. e. effectually brought into union with him. This use 
of the word, thus common in the New Testament, is obviously necessary 
here, because the apostle is speaking of a call which is peculiar to those 
who are finally saved. Whom he calls he justifies and glorifies; see 
also verse 28. 

Whom he called, them he also justified ; and whom he justified, them he 
also glorified. The past tense here used may express the idea of 
frequency. Whom he calls, he is wont to justify; and whom he is 
wont to justify, he is accustomed to glorify. So that the meaning is the 
same as though the present tense had been used, ' Whom he calls, he jus- 
tifies,' &c. ; see James 1: 11. 1 Pet. 1 : 24, where the same tense is 
rendered as the present, " The grass withereth, and the flower thereof 
falleth away." Or the past is employed, because Paul is speaking of 
that God, who sees the end from the beginning, and in whose decree and 
purpose all future events are comprehended and fixed ; so that in predes- 
tinating us, he at the same time, in effect, called, justified, and glorified 
us, as all these were included in his purpose. 

The justification here spoken of, is doubtless that of which the apos- 
tle has been speaking throughout the epistle, the regarding and treat- 
ing sinners as just, for the sake of the righteousness of Christ. The 
blessings of grace are never separated from each other. Election, call- 
ing, justification, and salvation are indissolubly united ; and, therefore, 
he who has clear evidence of his being called, has the same evidence of 
his election and final salvation. This is the very idea the apostle means 
to present for the consolation and encouragement of believers. They 
have no cause for despondency if the children of God, and called according 
to his purpose, because nothing can prevent their final salvation. 

(31) What shall we say to these things? That is, what is the infer- 
ence from all that has hitherto been said 1 If God he for us, if he has de- 
livered us from the law of sin and death, if he has renewed us by his Spirit 
which dwells within us, if he recognises us as his children and his heirs, 
and has predestinated us to holiness and glory, who can he against us? 
If God's love has led to all the good just specified, what have we to fear 
for the future 1 He who spared not his own Son will freely give us all 
things. This verse shows clearly what has been the apostle's object 
from the beginning of the chapter. He wished to demonstrate that to 
those who accede to the plan of salvation which he taught, i. e. to those 
who are in Christ Jesus, there is no ground of apprehension; their final 



208 ROMANS 8 : 29—39. 

salvation is fully secured. The conclusion of the chapter is a recapitula 
tion of all his former arguments, or rather the reduction of them to one 
which comprehends them all in their fullest force ; God is for us. He, 
as our Judge, is satisfied; as our Father, he loves us; as the supreme 
and almighty Controller of events, who works all things after the coun- 
sel of his own will, he has determined to save us ; and as that Being 
whose love is as unchangeable as it is infinite, he allows nothing to se- 
parate his children from himself. 

(32) He that spared not his own Son, &c. That ground of confidence 
and security which includes all others, is the love of God ; and that 
exhibition of divine love which surpasses and secures all others, is the 
gift of HIS OWN Son. Paul having spoken of Christians as being God'3 
sons by adoption, was led to designate Christ as his own peculiar Son, 
in a sense in which neither angels (Heb. 1 : 5) nor men can be so called. 
That this is the meaning of the phrase is evident, 1. Because this is its 
proper force ; oiun Son being opposed to adopted sons. 2. Because the 
context requires it, as Paul had spoken of those who were sons in a dif- 
ferent sense just before. 3. Because this apostle, and the other sacred 
writers, designate Christ as Son of God in the highest sense, as par- 
taker of the divine nature; see Rom. 1 : 4. 

But delivered him up for us all. He was delivered up to death ; see 
Gal. 1 : 4. Rom. 4: 25. Isa. 53: 6. 38: 13 (in the LXX.), and Matt. 
10: 21. For us all; not merely for our benefit, but in our place ; see 
Rom. 5 : 6, 7, 8, &c. Us all, in this connexion, can only be understood 
of all those of whom Paul had been speaking, all who love God and are 
called according to his purpose. 

How shall he not with him freely give us all things ? If God has 
done the greater, he will not leave the less undone. If he has given his 
Son to death, he will not fail to give the Spirit to render that death ef- 
fectual. This is the ground of the confidence of believers. They do 
not expect to attain salvation because they are sure of their own strength 
of purpose, but because the love of God towards them is free and un- 
bounded, and having led to the gift of his Son, will not withhold those 
lesser gifts which are necessary for their final security and blessedness. 

(33) Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God^s elect ? This 
and the following verse show how fully the security of believers is pro- 
vided for by the plan of redemption. What is it they have to fear under 
the government of a just and powerful God] There is nothing to be 
dreaded but sin; if that be pardoned and removed, there is nothing left 
to fear. In the strongest manner possible, the apostle declares that the 
sins of believers are pardoned, and shows the ground on which this par- 
don rests. To them, therefore, there can be neither a disquieting accu- 
sation nor condemnation. Who can lay any thing ? &c., i. e. no one 
".an, neither Satan, conscience, nor the law. If the law of God be satis- 
fied, "the strength of sin," its condemning power, is destroyed. Even 
conscience, though it upbraids, does not terrify. It produces the ingenu 



ROMANS 8: 29—39. 209 

ous sorrow of children, and not the despairing- anguish of the convict ; 
because it sees that all the ends of punishment are fully answered in the 
death of Christ, who bore our sins in his own body on the tree. 

God^s elect, i. e. those whom God has chosen ; see v. 29. The word 
elect is sometimes used in a secondary sense for beloved, which idea is 
implied in its literal sense, as those chosen are those who are peculiarly 
beloved. This sense may be given to it in 1 Pet. 2 : 4, "elect and pre- 
cious" may be ' beloved and precious ;' Col. 3 : 12, " as the elect of 
God" may be equal to the beloved of God. But there is not a single 
passage where the word occurs in which it may not be understood in its 
proper sense. " Many are called and few chosen," Matt. 20 : 16 ; " for 
the elect's sake," 24. 22; "the chosen of God," Luke 23 : 35; "ac- 
cording to the faith of God's elect," Tit. 1 : 1; 1 Pet. 1:1,2, " elect 
according to the foreknowledge of God ;" see 1 Pet. 2 : 9. Luke 18 : 7, 
and every other passage in which the word occurs. This being the pro- 
per meaning of the term, and that which is in strict accordance with the 
scriptural representation of men under the Old as well as New Testa- 
ment, as being chosen of God to be the recipients of peculiar blessings, 
it ought not to be departed from here, especially as the context renders 
its being retained necessary to the full expression of the apostle's mean- 
ing. The persons against whom he says no accusation can be brought, 
are those who were chosen, predestinated, called, and justified. 

It is God that justifieth. This and the corresponding phrases in the 
next verse are frequently pointed interrogatively, so as to be read thus . 
" God who justifies 1 Who is he that condemneth 1 Christ who died ?" 
&c. The sense is the same, but the force and beauty of the passage is 
thus marred. As we are all to stand before the tribunal of God, and our 
eternal destiny is to depend on his judgment, if he acquits, if he for 
Christ's sake pronounces us just, then we are secure. 

(34) Who is he that condemneth? i. e. no one can condemn. In sup- 
port of this assertion there are, in this verse, four conclusive reasons 
presented ; the death of Christ, his resurrection, his exaltation, and his 
intercession. It is Christ that died. By his death, as an atonement for 
our sins, all ground of condemnation is removed. Yea, rather, that is 
risen again. The resurrection of Christ, as the evidence of the sacri- 
fice of his death being accepted, and of the validity of all his claims, is 
a much more decisive proof of the security of all who trust in him than 
his death could be. See ch. 1 : 4. 4 : 25. Acts 17 : 31. 1 Cor. 15 : 
17, &c. 

Who is even at the right hand of God, i. e. is associated with God 
in his universal dominion. Ps. 110 : 1, " Sit thou on my right hand," 
i. e. share my throne; Eph. 1: 20. Rev. 3: 21, "As I also overcame 
and am set down with my Father in his throne." Heb. 1:3, " Who 
sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." From these and 
other passages in their connexion, it is evident that Christ is exalted to 
universal dominion, all power in heaven and earth is given into his 

s3 



210 ROMANS 8: 29—39. 

hands. If this is the case, how great the security it affords the believer 
He who is engaged to effect his salvation is the director of all events 
and of all worlds. 

Who also TUQiketh intercession for us, i. e. who acts as our advocate, 
pleads our cause before God, presents those considerations which secure 
for us pardon and the continued supply of the divine grace ; see v. 26. 
Heb. 7 : 25. 9 : 24. 1 John 2:1. He is our patron, in the Roman sense 
of the word, one who undertakes our case ; an advocate, whom the 
Father heareth always. How complete then the security of those for 
whom he pleads ! Of course this language is figurative ; the meaning 
is, that Christ continues since his resuVrection and exaltation to secure 
for his people the benefits of his death, every thing comes from God 
through him and for his sake. 

(35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? This is the last 
step in the climax of the apostle's argument ; the very summit of the 
mount of confidence, whence he looks down on his enemies as powerless, 
and forward and upward with full assurance of a final and abundant tri- 
umph. No one can accuse, no one can condemn, no one can separate us 
from the love of Christ. This last assurance gives permanency to the 
value of the other two. 

The love of Christ is clearly Christ's love towards us, and not ours 
towards him. The latter indeed would give a good sense, ' Nothing can 
induce us to give up our love to the Redeemer.' But this interpretation is 
entirely inconsistent with the context and the drift of the whole chapter. 
Paul M^as speaking of the great love of God towards us as manifested in 
the gift of his Son, and of the love of Christ as exhibited in his dying, 
rising, and interceding for us. This love, which is so great, he says is 
unchangeable. Besides, the apostle's object in the whole chapter is to 
console and confirm the confidence of believers. The interpretation just 
mentioned is not in accordance with this object. It is no ground of con- 
fidence to assert or even to feel that we will never forsake Christ, but it 
is the strongest ground of assurance to be convinced that his love will 
never change. And, moreover, v. 39 requires this interpretation ; for 
there Paul expresses the same sentiment in language which cannot be 
misunderstood. " No creature," he says, " shall be able to separate us 
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus." This is evidently 
God's love towards us. . 

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, &c. This is merely an 
amplification of the preceding idea. Nothing shall separate us from the 
love of Christ, neither tribulation, nor distress, nor persecution, &c. 
That is, whatever we may be called upon to suffer in this life, nothing 
can deprive us of the love of him who died for us, and who now lives 
to plead our cause in heaven, and, therefore, these afflictions, and all 
other difficulties, are enemies we may despise. 

(36) As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long, &c. 
A quotation from Ps. 44 : 22, agreeably to the LXX. translation. Tha 



ROMANS 8 : 29—39. 211 

previous verse of course implied that believers should be exposed to 
many afflictions, to famine, nakedness, and the sword ; this, Paul would 
Bay, is in accordance with the experience of the pious in all ages. We 
suffer, as it is recorded of the Old Testament saints that they suffered. 

(37) Nay^ in all these things we are more than conquerors, &c. This 
verse is connected with the 35th. ' So far from these afflictions sepa- 
rating us from the love of Christ, they are more than conquered.' That 
is, they are not only deprived of all power to do us harm, they minister 
to our good. They swell the glory of our victory. Through him that 
loved us. The triumph which the apostle looked for was not to be 
effected by his own strength or perseverance, but by the grace and power 
of the Redeemer. 1 Cor. 15 : 10. Gal. 3 : 20. Phil. 4: 13, "I can do 
all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." 

(38, 39) In these verses the confidence of the apostle is expressed in 
the strongest language. He heaps words together in the effort to set 
forth fully the absolute inability of all created things, separately or 
united, to frustrate the purpose of God, or to turn away his love from 
those whom he has determined to save. 

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, &c. &c. It is some- 
what doubtful how far the apostle intended to express distinct ideas by 
the several words here used. The enumeration is by some considered as 
expressing the general idea that nothing in the universe can injure be- 
lievers, the detail being designed merely as amplification. This, how- 
ever, is not very probable. The former view is to be preferred. Neither 
death. That is, though cut off in this world, their connexion with Christ 
is not thereby destroyed. " They shall never perish, neither shall any 
pluck them out of my hand," John 10 : 28. Nor life, neither its bland- 
ishments, nor its trials. "Whether we live, we live unto the Lord, or 
whether we die, we die unto the Lord. So that, living or dying, we are 
the Lord's," Rom. 14 : 8. 

Nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers. Principalities and powers 
are by many understood here to refer to the authorities of this world as 
distinguished from angels. But to this it may be objected that Paul fre- 
quently uses these terms in connexion to designate the different orders 
of spiritual beings, Eph. 1: 21. Col. 1 : 16 ; and, secondly, that cor- 
responding terms were in common use among the Jews in this sense. 
It is probable, from the nature of the passage, that this clause is to be 
taken generally, without any specific reference to either good or bad an- 
gels as such. * No superhuman power, no angel, however mighty, shall 
ever be able to separate us from the love of God.' Neither things pre- 
sent, nor things to come. Nothing in this life, nor in the future; no 
present or future event, &c. 

(39) Nor height, nor depth. These w^ords have been very variously 
explained. That interpretation which seems on the whole most consist- 
ent with scriptural usage and the context, is that which makes the terms 
equivalent to heaven and earth. ' Nothing in heaven or earth ;' see Eph. 



212 ROMANS 8: 29—39. 

4 : 9. Isa. 7:11," Ask it either in the depth or the height above," &c. 
&c. Nor any other creature. Although the preceding enumeration had 
been so minute, the apostle, as if to prevent despondency having the 
possibility of a foothold, adds this all-comprehending specification, no 
created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God. This 
love of God, which is declared to be thus unchangeable, is extended 
towards us only on account of our connexion with Christ, and therefore 
the apostle adds, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord; see Eph. 1 : 6. 
2 Tim. 1:9. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. God chooses certain individuals and predestinates them to eternal 
life. The ground of this choice is his own sovereign pleasure ; the end 
to which the elect are predestinated is conformity to Jesus Christ in his 
moral character, and in his sufferings and glory, v. 29. 

2. Those who are thus chosen shall certainly be saved, v. 30. 

3. The only evidence of election is effectual calling, that is, the pro- 
duction of holiness. And the only evidence of the genuineness of this 
call and the certainty of our perseverance, is a patient continuance in 
well doing, vs. 29, 30. 

4. The love of God, and not human merit or power, is the proper 
ground of confidence. This love is infinitely great, as is manifested by 
the gift of God's own Son ; and it is unchangeable, as the apostle strongly 
asserts, vs. 31 — 39. 

5. The gift of Christ is not the result of the mere general love of God 
to the human family, hut also of sjpecial love to his own people, v. 32. 

6. Hope of pardon and eternal life should rest on the death, the resur- 
rection, universal dominion, and intercession of the Son of God, v. 34. 

7. Trials and afflictions of every kind have been the portion of the 
people of God in all ages ; as they cannot destroy the love of Christ 
towards us, they ought not to shake our love towards him, v. 35. 

8. The whole universe, with all that it contains, as far as it is good, 
is the friend and ally of the Christian; as far as it is evil, it is a more 
than conquered foe, vs. 35 — 39. 

9. The love of God, infinite and unchangeable as it is, is manifested to 
sinners only through Jesus Christ our Lord, v. 39. 

REMARKS. 

1. The plan of redemption, while it leaves no room for despondency, 
affords no pretence for presumption. Those whom God loves he loves 
unchangeably ; but it is not on the ground of their peculiar excellence, 
nor can this love be extended towards those who live in sin, vs. 29 — 39. 

2. As there is a beautiful harmony and necessary connexion between 
the several doctrines of grace, between election, predestination, calling, 
justification, and glorification, so must there be a like harmony in the 
character of the Christian. He cannot experience the joy and confidence 



ROMANS 8: 29—39. 213 

flowing from his election, without the humility which the consideration 
of its being gratuitous must produce ; nor can he have the peace of one 
who is justified, without the holiness of one who is called, vs. 29, 30. 

3. As Christ is the first-born or head among many brethren, all true 
Christians must love him supremely, and each other as members of the 
same family. Unless we have this love, we do not belong to this sacred 
brotherhood, v. 29. 

4. If the love of God is so great and constant, it is a great sin to dis- 
trust or doubt it, vs. 30 — 39. 

5. Christians may well bear with patience and equanimity the unjust 
accusations, or even the condemnatory sentences of the wicked, since 
God justifies and accepts them. It is a small matter to be judged of 
man's judgment, vs. 33, 34. 

6. If God spared not his own Son, in order to effect our salvation, 
what sacrifice on our part can be considered great, as a return for such 
love, or as a means of securing the salvation of others, v. 32. 

7. The true method to drive away despondency is believing apprehen- 
sions of the scriptural grounds of hope, viz. the love of God, the death 
of Christ, his resurrection, his universal don\inion, and his intercession, 
verse 34. 

8. Though the whole universe were encamped against the solitary 
Christian, he would still come off more than conqueror, vs. 35 — 39. 

9. Afflictions and trials are not to be fled from or avoided, but over- 
come, V. 37. 

10. All strength to endure and to conquer comes to us through him 
that loved us. Without him we can do nothing, v. 37. 

11. How wonderful, how glorious, how secure is the gospel ! Those 
who are in Christ Jesus are as secure as the love of God, the merit, 
power, and intercession of Christ can make them. They are hedged 
round with mercy. They are enclosed in the arms of everlasting love. 
*' Now unto him that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us 
faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy ; to the only 
wise God, our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both 
now and for ever. Amen !" 



CHAPTER IX. 

With the eighth chapter the discussion of the plan of salvation, and 
of its immediate consequences, was brought to a clqse. The considera- 
tion of the calling of the Gentiles, and the rejection of the Jews, com- 
mences with the ninth, and extends to the end of the eleventh. Paul, in. 
the first place, shows that God may consistently reject the Jews, and 



214 ROMANS 9 : 1—5. 

extend the blessings of the Messiah's reign to the Gentiles, 9 : 1 — 24 ; 
and, in the second, that he has already declared that such was his pur- 
pose, vs. 25 — 29. Agreeably to these prophetic declarations, the apos- 
tle announces that the Jews were cast off and the Gentiles called ; the 
former having refused submission to the righteousness of faith, and the 
latter having been obedient, vs. 30 — 33. In the tenth chapter Paul 
shows the necessity of this rejection of the ancient people of God, and 
vindicates the propriety of extending the invitation of the gospel to the 
heathen in accordance with the predictions of the prophets. In the 
eleventh he teaches that this rejection of the Jews was neither total nor 
final. It was not total, inasmuch as many Jews of that generation be- 
lieved ; and it was not final, as the period approached when the great 
body of that nation should acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, and be 
reingrafted into their own olive tree. 

CONTENTS. 

In entering on the discussion of the question of the rejection of the 
Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles, the apostle assures his brethren 
that he was led to entertain this opinion from no want of affection or 
respect for them or their national privileges, vs. 1 — 5. That his doc- 
trine on this subject was true, he argues, 1. Because it was not incon- 
sistent with the promises of God, who is perfectly sovereign in the dis- 
tribution of his favours, vs. 6 — 24. And, secondly, because it was dis- 
tinctly predicted in their own Scriptures, vs. 25 — 29. The conclusion 
from this reasoning is stated in vs. 30 — 33. The Jews are rejected fo* 
their unbelief, and the Gentiles admitted to the Messiah's kingdom. 

CHAP. 9: 1—5. 

*I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me 
witness in the Holy Ghost, ^that I have great heaviness and continual 
sorrow in my heart. ^For I cOuld wish that myself were accursed from 
Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: *vvho are 
Israelites ; to V7h.om pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the cove- 
nants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises ; 
^whoseare the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, 
who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. 



As the subject about to be discussed was of all others the most painful 
and offensive to his Jewish brethren, the apostle approaches it with the 
greatest caution. He solemnly assures them that he was grieved at heart 
on their account ; and that his love for them was ardent and disinterested, 
vs. 1 — 3. Their peculiar privileges he acknowledged and respected. They 
were highly distinguished by all the advantages connected with the Old 



ROMANS 9 : 1—5. 215 

Testament dispensation, and, above all, by the fact that the Messiah was, 
according to the flesh, a Jew, vs. 4, 5. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) J say the truth in Christ, I lie not, &c. There are three ways 
in which the words in Christ, or hy Christ, may here be understood. 
1. They may be considered as part of the formula of an oath, / say the 
truth, by Christ. The preposition rendered in is so used in Matt. 5 : 34, 
&c. Rev. 10 : 6. But in these and similar cases it is always in con- 
nexion with a verb of swearing. In addition to this objection, it may be 
urged that no instance occurs of Paul's appealing to Christ in the form 
of an oath. This interpretation, therefore, is not to be approved. 2. The 
words in Christ maybe connected with the pronoun /. ' I in Christ,^ i. e. 
as a Christian, or, ' In the consciousness of my union with Christ, I 
declare,' &c. 1 Cor. 1 ; 30. 3 : 1. Rom. 16 : 3. 7. 3. The words may 
be used adverbially, and be translated after a Christian manner. This 
also is a frequent use of this and analogous phrases. See 1 Cor. 7 : 39, 
" Only in the Lord," i. e. only after a religious manner. Rom. 16 : 22. 
Eph. 6: 1. Col. 3: 18. The sense of the passage is much the same 
whether we adopt the one or the other of the last two modes of explana- 
tion. Paul means to say that he speaks in a solemn and religious man- 
ner, as a Christian, conscious of his intimate relation to Christ. 

/ say the truth, I lie not. This mode of assertion, first affirmatively 
and then negatively, is common in the Scriptures. " Thou shalt die, and 
not live," Isa. 38 : 1 ; " He confessed and denied not," John 1 : 20. My 
conscience also hearing me witness in the Holy Ghost. There are also 
three ways in which the words in the Holy Ghost may be connected and 
explained. 1. They are often considered as belonging to the first clause 
and standing in a parallelism with the words in Christ, and being also an 
oath. But in this way the construction is unnatural, and the sense not 
only unusual but revolting. 3. They may be connected with the words 
bearing me witness. The sense would then be, ' My conscience beareth 
me witness together with the Holy Ghost.' That is, not only my own 
conscience, but the Holy Spirit assures me of my sincerity. 3. They 
may be connected with the word conscience. ' My conscience under the 
influence of the Holy Ghost;' my sanctified conscience. There seems 
little ground of preference between the last two ; either gives a good 
sense. 

(2) That I have great heaviness, &;c. This it is which Paul so solemnly 
asserts. He was not an indifferent spectator of the sorrow, temporal and 
spiritual, which was about to come on his countrymen. All their peculiar 
national advantages, and the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom which 
they had wickedly rejected, were to be taken away ; they were, therefore, 
left without hope either for this world or the next. The consideration of 
Iheir condition filled the apostle with great and constant heaviness. The 



216 ROMANS 9: 1—5. 

sincerity and strength of this sorrow for them he asserts in the strongest 
terms in the next verse. 

(3) For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my 
brethren, &c. The word anathema, which is used in this verse by the 
apostle, properly means something set up or consecrated, and is applied 
frequently to votive offerings. A secondary application of the word was 
to those persons who were devoted to destruction as sacrifices for the 
public good. And as, among the Greeks, the lowest and vilest of the peo- 
ple were selected for that purpose, it became a term of execration, and 
expressed the idea of exposure to divine wrath. In the Old Testament, 
the Hebrew word to which it answers, occurs very frequently, and pro- 
bably the root originally meant to cut off, to separate. Hence, the sub- 
stantive derived from it, meant something separated or consecrated. In 
usage, however, it was applied only to such things as could not be 
redeemed, and which, when possessed of life, were to be put to death. It 
is evident from such passages as Lev. 27 : 28, 29. Deut. 7 : 26. Josh. 6 : 
17. 1 Sam. 15 : 21, that the word usually designates a person or thing set 
apart to destruction on religious grounds ; something accursed. 

In the New Testament the use of the Greek word is very nearly the 
same. The only passages in which it occurs besides the one before us, 
are the following ; Acts 23 : 14, " We have bound ourselves under a great 
curse (we have placed ourselves under an anathema), that we will eat 
nothing until we have slain Paul." The meaning of this passage evi- 
dently is, ' We have imprecated on ourselves the curse of God, or we 
have called upon him to consider us as anathema.' 1 Cor. 12 : 3, " No 
man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed (anathema) ;" 
1 Cor. 16 : 22, " Let him be anathema maranatha;" Gal. 1 : 8, 9, " Let 
him be accursed (anathema)." In all these cases it is clear that the word 
is applied to those who were regarded as deservedly exposed, or devoted 
to the curse of God. In this sense it was used by the early Christian 
writers, and from them passed into the use of the church. " Let him be 
anathema," being the constant formula of pronouncing any one, in tho 
judgment of the church, exposed to the divine malediction. 

Among the later Jews, this word, or the corresponding Hebrew term, 
was used in reference to the second of the three degrees into which they 
divided excommunication (see Buxtorf 's Rabbinical Lexicon). But no 
analogous use of the word occurs in the Bible. Such being the meaning 
of this word in the Scriptures, its application in this case by the apostle 
admits of various explanations. 

The common interpretation, however, and that which seems most natu- 
ral, is, ' I am grieved at heart for my brethren, for I could wish myself 
accursed from Christ, that is, I could be willing to be regarded and 
treated as anathema, a thing accursed, for their sakes.' That this inter- 
pretation suits the force and meaning of the words, and is agi-eeable to 
the context, must, on all hands, be admitted. The only objection to it is 



ROMANS 9: 1—5. 217 

of a theological kind. It is said to be inconsistent with the apostle's 
character to wish that he should be accursed from Christ. But to this 
it may be answered, 1. Paul does not say that he did deliberately and 
actually entertain such a wish. The expression is evidently hypothetical 
and conditional, ' I could wish, were the thing allowable, possible or 
proper.' So far from saying he actually desired to be thus separated 
from Christ, he impliedly says the very reverse. ' I could wish it, were 
it not wrong; or, did it not involve my being unholy as well as misera- 
ble, but as such is the case, the desire cannot be entertained.' This is 
the proper force of the imperfect indicative when thus used ; it implies 
the presence of a condition which is known to be impossible. 2. Even 
if the words expressed more than they actually do, and the apostle were 
to be understood as saying that he could wish to be cut off from Christ, 
yet, from the nature of the passage, it could fairly be understood, as 
meaning nothing more than that he was Willing to suffer the utmost 
misery for the sake of his brethren. The difficulty arises from pressing 
the words too far, making them express definite ideas, instead of strong 
and indistinct emotions. The general idea is, that he considered himself 
as nothing, and his happiness as a matter of no moment, in view of the 
salvation of his brethren. 

(4) The object of the apostle in the introduction to this chapter, con- 
tained in the first five verses, is to assure the Jews of his love and of his 
respect for their peculiar privileges. The declaration of his love he had 
just made, his respect for their advantages is expressed in the enumera- 
tion of them contained in this verse. Who are Israelites, i. e. the peculiar 
people of God. This includes all the privileges which are afterwards 
mentioned. The word Israel means one who contends with God, or a 
prince with God. Hos. 12 : 3, " He took his brother by the heel in the 
womb, and by his strength he had power with God." As it was given 
to Jacob as an expression of God's peculiar favour. Gen. 32 : 28, its appli- 
cation to his descendants, implied that they, too, were the favourites of 
God. To whom pertaineth the adoption. As Paul is speaking here of 
the external or natural Israel, the adoption or sonship which pertained to 
them, as such, must be external also, and is very different from that 
which he had spoken of in the preceding chapter. They were the sons 
of God, i. e. the objects of his peculiar favour, selected from the nations 
of the earth to be the recipients of peculiar blessings and to stand in a pe- 
culiar relation to God. Ex. 4 : 22, " Thou shalt say unto Pharoah, 
Israel is my son, even my first-born ;" Deut. 14 : 1, " Ye are the children 
of the Lord your God ;" Jer. 31 : 9, " I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim 
is my first-born." 

.And the glory. These words are variously explained. They may be 
connected with the preceding, as explanatory of the adoption or as quali- 
fying it, and the two words be equivalent to glorious adoption. But 
as every other specification in this verse is to be taken separately, so 

T 



218 ROMANS 9: 1—5. 

should this be. In the Old Testament that symbolical manifestation of 
the divine presence which filled the tabernacle and rested over the ark, is 
called the glory of the Lord. Ex. 40 : 34, " A cloud covered the tent of 
the congregation; and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle;" Ex. 
'■21 : 43. Lev. 16 : 2. 1 Kings 8:11. 2 Chron. 5 : 14. Hag. 2 : 7. By the 
Jews this symbol was called the Shekinah, i. e. the presence of God. Be- 
sides this, the manifestation of God's presence in general is called his 
glory ; Isa. 6:4," The whole earth is full of his glory," &c. It is pro- 
bable, therefore, that Paul intended by this word to refer to the fact that 
God dwelt in a peculiar manner among the Jews, and in various ways 
manifested his presence, as one of their peculiar privileges. 

The covenants. The plural is used because God at various times 
entered into covenant with the Jews and their forefathers ; by which he 
secured to them innumerable blessings and privileges; see Gal. 3 : 16, 
17. Eph. 2 : 12. The giving of the law, the legislation. The word is 
sometimes used for the law itself, it may here be taken strictly, that giv' 
ing of the law, i. e. the solemn and glorious annunciation of the divine 
will from Mount Sinai. The former is the most probable ; because the 
possession of the law was the grand distinction of the Jews, and one on 
which they peculiarly relied; see ch. 2: 17. The service means the 
whole ritual, the pompous and impressive religious service of the taber- 
nacle and temple. The promises relate, no doubt, specially to the pro- 
mises of Christ and his kingdom. This was the great inheritance of the 
nation. This was the constant subject of gratulation and object of hope. 
See Gal. 3 : 16, " Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises 
made;" v. 21, "Is the law against the promises of God"?" So in other 
places the word promises is used specially for the predictions in reference 
to the great redemption. Acts 26 : 6. 

(5) Whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concer^iing the flesh, Christ 
came, &c. The descent of the Jews from men so highly favoured of God 
as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, was justly regarded as a great distinction. 
And of whom. The and here shows that whom refers, not to the fathers, 
but to the Israelites, to whom pertained the adoption, the law, the service, 
and of whom Christ came. This was the great honour of the Jewish 
race. For this they were separated as a peculiar people, and preserved 
amidst all their afflictions. As it was true, however, only in one sense, 
that Christ was descended from the Israelites, and as there was another 
view of his person, according to which he was infinitely exalted above 
them and all other men, the apostle qualifies his declaration by saying as 
concerning the flesh. The word flesh is used so often for human nature 
in its present state, or for men, that the phrase as to the flesh, in such con- 
nexions, evidently means in as far as he was a man, or as to his human 
nature, ch. 1:3. In like manner, when it is said Christ was manifested 
or came in the flesh, it means, he came in our nature, 1 Tim. 3 : 16. 
1 John 4 : 2, &c. 

WTio is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. There is but one in- 



ROMANS 9: 1—5. 219 

terpretation of this important passage which can, with the least regard 
to the rules of construction, be maintained. Paul evidently declares that 
Christ, who he had just said was, as to his human nature, descended 
from the Israelites, is, in another respect, the supreme God, or God over 
all, and blessed for ever. That this is the meaning of the passage is 
evident from the following reasons. 1. The relative who must agree 
with the nearest antecedent. There is no other subject in the context 
sufficiently prominent to make a departure from this ordinary rule, in 
this case, even plausible. " Of whom Christ came, who is," &c. Who 
is? Certainly Christ. 2. The context requires this interpretation, be- 
cause, as Paul was speaking of Christ, it would be very unnatural thus 
suddenly to change the subject and break out into a doxology to God. 
Frequently as the pious feelings of the apostle led him to use such ex- 
clamations of praise, he never does it except when God is the immediate 
subject of discourse. See ch. 1 : 25, " Who worship and serve the crea- 
ture more than the Creator, who is blessed for evermore ;" Gal. 1 : 5. 
2 Cor. 11 : 31. Besides, it was the very object of the apostle to set 
forth the great honour to the Jews of having Christ born among them, 
and this, of course, would lead to his presenting the dignity of the Re- 
deemer in the strongest light. For the greater he was, the greater the 
honour to those of whose race he came. 3. The antithesis, which is 
evidently implied between the two clauses of the verse, is in favour of 
this interpretation. Christ, according to the flesh, was an Israelite, but, 
according to his higher nature, the supreme God. See the strikingly 
analogous passage in ch. 1:3, 4, where Christ is said, according to one 
nature, to be the Son of David, according to the other, the Son of God. 
4. No other interpretation is at all consistent with the grammatical con- 
Btruction, or the relative position of the words. To suppose that this 
passage is a doxology, referring not to Christ, but to God, is in the 
highest degree unnatural, because God is not mentioned in the context, 
and because the constant form of doxology in the Scriptures is " Blessed 
be God ;" and never " God be blessed." The word for blessed always 
stands first, and the word for God after it with the article. As the word 
God, in the original, is without the article in this case, it must be the pre- 
dicate and not the subject of the sentence ; that is, the meaning must be, 
ivho is God, and not God is. In the strongest and clearest language, 
therefore, Paul declares that Christ is the supreme God. 

Over all is equivalent to most high, supreme. The same words oc- 
cur in Eph. 4:6, " One God, who is above all." This passage, there- 
fore, shows that Christ is God in the highest sense of the word. Amen 
is a Hebrew word signifying true. It is used in the New Testament 
often adverbially, and is rendered verily; or, at the close of a sentence, 
as expressing desire, let it he, or merely approbation. It does not, there- 
fore, necessarily imply that the clause to which it is attached contains a 
wish. It is used here, as in Rom. 1 : 25, for giving a solemn assent to 



220 ROMANS 9 : 1—5. 

what has been said. " God who is blessed for ever. Amen." *To this 
declaration we say, Amen. It is true.' 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The Holy Ghost is ever present with the souls of the people of 
God. He enlightens the judgment and guides the conscience, so that 
the true and humble Christian often has an assurance of his sincerity and 
of the correctness of what he says or does, above what the powers of 
nature can bestow, v. 1. 

2. There is no limit to the sacrifice which one man may make for the 
benefit of others, except that which his duty to God imposes, v. 3. 

3. Paul does not teach that we should be willing to be damned for the 
glory of God. 1. His very language implies that such a wish would be 
improper. For in the ardour of his disinterested affection he does not 
himself entertain or express the wish, but merely says, in effect, that 
were it proper or possible, he would be willing to perish for the sake of 
his brethren. 2. If it is wrong to do evil that good may come, how can 
it be right to wish to he evil that good may comel 3. There seems to 
be a contradiction involved in the very terms of the wish. Can one love 
God so much as to wish to hate him % Can he be so good as to desire 
to be bad ? We must be willing to give up houses and lands, parents 
and brethren, and our life also, for Christ and his kingdom ; but we are 
never required to give up holiness for his sake, for this would be a con- 
tradiction. 

4. It is, in itself, a great blessing to belong to the external people of 
God, and to enjoy all the privileges consequent on this relation, v. 4. 

5. Jesus Christ is at once man and God over all, blessed for ever. 
Paul asserts this doctrine in language too plain to be misunderstood, v. 5. 

REMARKS. 

1. Whatever we say or do, should be said or done as in Christ, i. e. 
in a Christian manner, v. 1. 

2. If we can view, unmoved, the perishing condition of our fellow 
men, or are unwilling to make sacrifices for their benefit, we are very 
different from Paul, and from Him who wept over Jerusalem, and died 
for our good upon Mount Calvary, vs. 2, 3. 

3. Though we may belong to the true church, and enjoy all its privi- 
leges, we may still be cast away. Our external relation to the people of 
God cannot secure our salvation, v. 4. 

4. A pious parentage is a great distinction and blessing, and should be 
felt and acknowledged as such, v. 5. 

5. If Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, if he has a nature like our 
own, how intimate the union between him and his people ; how tender 
the relation ; how unspeakable the honour done to human nature in 
having it thus exalted ! If Jesus Christ is God over all and blessed for 



ROMANS 9: 6—24. 221 

ever, how profound should be our reverence, how unreserved our obe- 
dience, and how entire and joyful our confidence ! v. 5. 

6. These five verses, the introduction to the three following chapters, 
teach us a lesson which we have before had occasion to notice. Fidelity- 
does not require that we should make the truth as offensive as possible. 
On the contrary, we are bound to endeavour, as Paul did, to allay all 
opposing- or inimical feelings in the minds of those whom we address, 
and to allow the truth, unimpeded by the exhibition of any thing offen- 
sive on our part, to do its work upon the heart and conscience. 

CHAP. 9 : 6—24. 

^Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are. 
not all Israel which are of Israel : ^neither, because they are the seed 
of Abraham, are they all children : but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 
^That is. They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the 
children of God : but the children of the promise are counted for the 
seed. Wox this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and 
Sarah shall have a son. *^And not only this ; but when Rebecca also 
had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac ; *^(for the children being 
not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of 
God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that 
calleth;) ^^it was said unto her. The elder shall serve the younger. 
*^As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have 1 hated. ^*What 
shall we say then 1 Is there unrighteousness with God ? God forbid. 
^■^For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, 
and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. ^''So 
then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God 
that showeth mercy. ^^For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for 
this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in 
thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 
^'^Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy ^ and whom he 
will he hardeneth. ^^Thou wilt say then unto me. Why doth he yet 
find fault ? For who hath resisted his will ? ^ojvj-gy i^yj;^ q xnan, who 
art thou that repliest against God ? Shall the thing formed say to him 
that formed it^ Why hast thou made me thus 1 ^^Hath not the potter 
power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, 
and another unto dishonour] ^^What if God, willing to show his wrath, 
and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the ves- 
sels of wrath fitted to destruction : ^^and that he might make known the 
riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared 
unto glory, ^^even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but 
also of the Gentiles ? 

ANALYSIS. 

The apostle now approaches the subject which he had in view, the 
rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles. That God had 

s2 



222 ROMANS 9: 6—24. 

determined to cast off his ancient covenant people, as such, and to extend 
the call of the gospel indiscriminately to all men, is the point which the 
apostle is about to establish. He does this by showing, in the first place, 
that God is perfectly free thus to act, vs. 6 — 24, and, in the second, that 
he had declared in the prophets that such was his intention, vs. 25 — 33. 

That God was at liberty to reject the Jews and to call the Gentiles, 
Paul argues, 1. By showing that the promises which he had made, and 
by which he had graciously bound himself, were not made to the natural 
descendants of Abraham, as such, but to his spiritual seed. This is 
plain from the case of Ishmael and Isaac ; both were the children of 
Abraham, yet one was taken and the other left. And also from the case 
of Esau and Jacob. Though children of the same parents, and born at 
one birth, yet "Jacob have I loved and Es^u have I hated," is the lan- 
guage of God respecting them, vs. G — 13. 2. By showing that God is 
perfectly sovereign in the distribution of his favours; that he is deter- 
mined neither by the external relations, nor by the personal character of 
men, in the selection of the objects of his mercy. This is proved by 
the examples just referred to ; by the choice of Isaac instead of Ishmael, 
and especially by that of Jacob instead of Esau. In this case the choice 
was made and announced before the birth of the children, that it might 
be seen that it was not according to works, but according to the sove- 
reign purpose of God, vs. 6 — 13. 

Against this doctrine of the divine sovereignty there are two obvious 
objections, which have been urged in every age of the world, and which 
the apostle here explicitly states and answers. The first is, it is unjust 
in God thus to choose one, and reject another, at his mere good pleasure, 
v. 14. To this Paul gives two answers; 1. God claims the prerogative 
of sovereign mercy ; saying, " I will have mercy on whom I will have 
mercy," vs. 15 — 16. 2. He exercises this right, as is evident from the 
case of Pharaoh, with regard to whom he says, " For this same purpose 
have I raised thee up," vs. 17, 18. The second objection is, if this 
doctrine is true, it destroys the responsibility of men, v. 19. To this 
also Paul gives a twofold answer; 1. The very urging of an objection 
against a prerogative which God claims in his word, and exercises in his 
providence, is an irreverent contending with our Maker, especially as the 
right in question necessarily arises out of the relation between men and 
God as creatures and Creator, vs. 20, 21. 2. There is nothing in the 
exercise of this sovereignty inconsistent with either justice or mercy, 
God only punishes the wicked for their sins, while he extends unde- 
served mercy to the objects of his grace. There is no injustice done to 
one wicked man in the pardon of another, especially as there are the 
highest objects to be accomplished both in the punishment of the vessels 
of wrath, and the pardon of the vessels of mercy. God does nothing 
more than exercise a right inherent in sovereignty, viz. that of dispensing 
pardon at his pleasure, vs. 22 — 24. 



ROMANS 9: 6—24. 223 



COMMENTARY. 

(6) It has already been remarked (ch. 3 : 3) that it was a common 
opinion among the Jews that the promises of God being made to Abra- 
ham and to his seed, all connected with him as his natural descendants, 
and sealed as such by the rite of circumcision, would certainly inherit 
the blessings of the Messiah's reign. It was enough for them, there- 
fore, to be able to say, " We have Abraham to our father." This being 
the case, it was obvious that it would at once be presented as a fatal ob- 
jection to the apostle's doctrine of the rejection of the Jews, that it was 
inconsistent with the promises of God. Paul, therefore, without even 
distinctly announcing the position which he intended to maintain, re- 
moves this preliminary objection. In vs. 2, 3, in which he professed his 
sorrow for his brethren, and his readiness to suffer for them, it was, of 
course, implied that they were no longer to be the peculiar people of 
God, hei-s of the promises, &c. &c. This, Paul shows, involves no 
failure on the part of the divine promises. Not as though the word of 
God hath taken none effect^ &c. That is, ' I say nothing which implies 
that the word of God has failed.' The word of God means any thing 
which God has spoken, and here, from the connexion, the promise made 
to Abraham, including the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ. 
Hath taken none effect, literally, hath fallen, i. e. failed. " It is easier 
for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail," literally, 
to fall, Luke 16 : 17. So this word is used frequently. The reason 
why the rejection of the Jews involved no failure on the part of the di- 
vine promise is, that the promise never contemplated the mere natural 
descendants of Abraham. For they are not all Israel which are of Is- 
rael, i. e. all the natural descendants of the patriarch are not the true 
people of God, to whom alone the promises properly belong. 

(7) Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all chilr 
dren. In this and the following verses the sentiment is confirmed, that 
natural descent from Abraham does not secure a portion in the promised 
inheritance. The language of this verse is, from the context, perfectly 
intelligible. The seed or natural descendants of Abraham are not all his 
children in the true sense of the term ; i. e. like him in faith and heirs 
of his promise. So in Gal. 3 : 7, Paul says, " They which are of faith, 
the same are the children of Abraham." 

But in Isaac shall thy seed be called. As the word rendered called 
sometimes means to choose, Isa. 48 : 12. 49 : 1, the meaning of the phrase 
may be, ' In Isaac shall thy seed be chosen.' 'I will select him as the 
recipient of the blessings promised to you.' 2. To be called is often 
equivalent to to be, to be regarded, as Isa. 62 : 4, " Thou shalt not be 
called desolate," i. e. thou shalt not be desolate. Hence, in this case, 
the text may mean, 'In Isaac shall thy seed be,' i. e. he shall be thy 
seed. Or, 3. ^After Isaac shall thy seed be called,' they shall derive 
their name from him. Whichever explanation be preferred, the meaning 



224 ROMANS 9 : 6—24. 

of the verse is the same. ' Not all the children of Abraham were made 
the heirs of his blessings, but Isaac was selected by the sovereign will 
of God to be the recipient of the promise.' 

(8) That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not 
the children of God. The simplest view of this verse would seem to 
be, to regard it as an explanation of the historical argument contained in 
the preceding verse. ' The Scriptures declare that Isaac, in preference 
to Ishmael, was selected to be the true seed and heir of Abraham, that is, 
or this proves that it is not the children of the flesh that are regarded as 
the children of God,' &c. This suits the immediate object of the apos- 
tle, which is to show that God, according to his good pleasure, chooses 
one and rejects another, and that he is not bound to make the children of 
Abraham, as such, the heirs of his promise. It is very common, how- 
ever, to consider this passage as analogous to that in Gal. 4: 22 — 31 ; 
and to regard the apostle as unfolding the analogy between the history 
of Isaac and Ishmael and that of the spiritual and natural children of 
Abraham ; Isaac being the symbol of the former, and Ishmael of the lat- 
ter. As Ishmael, "who was born after the flesh" (Gal. 4 : 23), i. e. 
according to the ordinary course of nature, was rejected, so also are the 
children of the flesh ; and as Isaac, who was born " by promise," i. e. 
in virtue of the promised interference of God, was made the heir, so 
also are they heirs who, in like manner, are the children of the promise, 
that is, who are the children of God, not by their natural birth, but by 
his special and effectual grace. This passage is then designed to point 
out an instructive analogy between the case of Isaac and the true chil- 
dren of God : he was born in virtue of a special divine interposition, so 
now, those who are the real children of God are born, not after the flesh, 
but by his special grace. 

The children of the promise. This expression admits of various ex- 
planations. 1. Many take it as meaning merely the promised children, 
as child of promise is equivalent to child which is promised. But this 
evidently does not suit the application of the phrase to believers as made 
here, and in Gal. 4 : 28. 2. It may mean, according to a common force 
of the genitive, children in virtue of a promise. This suits the con- 
text exactly. Isaac was born not after the ordinary course of nature, but 
in virtue of a divine promise ; Gal. 4 : 23, where the expressions born 
after the flesh, and born by promise, are opposed to each other. It is 
of course implied in the phrase children in virtue of a promise that it is 
by a special interposition that they become children, and this is the sense 
in which Paul applies the expression to believers generally. " Who are 
born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, 
but of God," John 1 : 13. Comp. Gal. 4 : 28. 3 : 18, 29. .ire counted 
for the seed, i. e. are regarded and treated as such. ' Not the natural 
descendants of Abraham are the children of God, but those who are born 
again by his special interposition, are regarded and treated as his true 
children.' See the same form of expression in Gen. 31 : 15. 



ROMANS 9 : 6—24. 225 

(9) For this is the word of promise, M this time will I come, and 
Sarah shall have a son. This verse is evidently designed to show the 
propriety, and to explain the force of the phrase children of the promise, 
Isaac was so called because God said, At this time I will come, &c. This 
is not only a prediction and promise that Isaac should be born, but also 
a declaration that it should be in consequence of God's coming, i. e. of 
the special manifestation of his power ; as, in scriptural language, God 
is said to come wherever he specially manifests his presence or favour, 
John 14 : 23. Luke 1 : 68, &c. 

(10) And not only this, hut when Rebecca also had conceived by one, 
&c. Not only the case of Isaac and Ishmael demonstrates the sove- 
reignty of God in the choice of the recipients of his favour, but that of 
Rebecca evinces the same truth in a still clearer light. It might be sup- 
posed that Isaac was chosen on account of his mother, but in the case of 
Jacob there is no room for such a supposition. Jacob and Esau had the 
same mother, the same father, and were born at one birth. The choice 
here was certainly a sovereign one. 

(11) For the children being not yet born, neither having done any 
good or evil, &c. The force of /or is clear by a reference to the pre- 
ceding verse, and the object of the apostle. ' Not only does the case of 
Isaac and Ishmael evince the sovereignty of God, but that of Rebecca 
and her children does the same, in a still more striking manner, for the 
decision between her children was made previous to their birth, for the 
very purpose of showing that it was not made on the ground of works, 
but of the sovereign pleasure of God.' This is an example which can- 
not be evaded. With regard to Ishmael, it might be supposed that 
either the circumstances of his birth or his personal character was the 
ground of his rejection, but with regard to Esau neither of these suppo- 
sitions can be made. 

Neither having done good or evil. The design of the introduction 
of these words is expressly stated in the next clause. It was to show 
that the ground of choice was not in them, but in God ; and this is the 
main point in regard to the doctrine of election, whether the choice be to 
the privileges of the external theocracy, or to the spiritual and eternal 
blessings of the kingdom of Christ. 

That the purpose of God, according to election, might stand. This 
is the reason why the choice was made prior to birth. The original here 
admits of various interpretations, which, however, do not materially alter 
the sense. The word rendered purpose is that whicji was used in the 
previous chapter, v. 28, and means here, as there, a determ,ination of the, 
will, and of itself expresses the idea of its being sovereign, i. e. of 
having its ground in the divine mind and not in its objects. Hence, in 
2 Tim. 1 : 9, it is said, " Who hath called us not according to our works, 
but according to his own purpose," &c. ; see Eph. 1 : 11. 3 : 11. The 
words according to election are designed to fix more definitely the na- 
ture of this purpose. The word election often means the act of choice 



226 ROMANS 9: 6—24. 

itself, as 1 Thess. 1:4, " Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of 
God." In this sense the clause means, 'The purpose of God in refer- 
ence to election, or in relation to this choice.' This view of the passage 
is perfectly consistent with the context. The choice was made prior to 
birth, in order that the true nature of the purpose of God in reference to 
it might appear. Should stand,, i. e. should be established and recog- 
nised in its true character, that is, that it might be seen it was not of 
works^ hut of him that calleth. This purpose of God, in reference to 
election, or the choice itself, is not of works, i. e. does not depend on 
works, but on hziji that calleth. That is, the ground of the choice is not 
in those chosen, but in God who chooses. In the same sense our justifi- 
cation is said to be " not of works," Gal. 2 : 16, and often ; i. e. is not 
on the ground of works ; see Rom. 11:6. 2 Tim. 1 : 9. The language 
of the apostle in this verse, and the nature of his argument, are so per- 
fectly plain, that there is little diversity of opinion as to his general 
meaning. 

(12) It was said to her the elder shall serve the younger. These 
words are to be connected with the 10th verse, according to our version, 
in this manner, " Not only this, but Rebecca also, when she had con- 
ceived," &c. " it was said to her," &c. According to this view, although 
the construction is irregular, the sense is sufficiently obvious. As it was 
said to Rebecca that the elder of her sons should serve the younger, prior 
to the birth of either, it is evident that the choice between them was not 
on account of their works. It has been said that this declaration relates 
not to Jacob and Esau personally, but to their posterity, 1. Because in 
Gen. 25 : 23, whence the quotation is made, it is said, "Two nations are 
within my womb, and the one people shall be stronger than the other peo- 
ple; and the elder shall serve the younger." 2. Because Esau did not 
personally serve Jacob, although the descendants of the one were sub- 
jected to those of the other. It is no doubt true that the prediction con- 
tained in this passage has reference not only to the relative standing of 
Jacob and Esau, as individuals, but also to that of their descendants. It 
may even be allowed that the latter was principally intended in the an- 
nunciation to Rebecca. But it is clear, 1. That this distinction between 
the two races presupposed and included a distinction between the indi- 
viduals. Jacob was made the special heir to his father Isaac, obtained 
as an individual the birth-right and the blessing, and Esau as an indi- 
vidual was cast off. The one, therefore, was personally preferred to the 
other. 2. In Paul's application of this event to his argument, the dis- 
tinction between the two as individuals was the very thing referred to. 
This is plain from the 11th verse, in which he says, " The childrenhehxg 
not yet born, neither having done any good or evil," &c. It is, there- 
fore, the nature of the choice between the children that is the point de- 
signed to be presented. As to the objection that Esau never personally 
served Jacob, it is founded on the mere literal sense of the words. Esau 
did acknowledge his inferiority to Jacob, and was in fact postponed to 



ROMANS 9: 6—24. 227 

him on various occasions. This is the real spirit of the passage. This 
prophecy, as is the case with all similar predictions, had various stages 
of fulfilment. The relation between the two brothers during life ; the 
loss of the birth-right blessing and promises on the part of Esau; the 
temporary subjugation of his descendants to the Hebrews under David, 
their final and complete subjection under the Maccabees ; and especially 
their exclusion from the peculiar privileges of the people of God, through 
all the early periods of their history, are all included. Compare the pre- 
diction of the subjection of Ham to his brethren; and of Japheth's dwell- 
ing in the tents of Shem, Gen. 9 : 25 — 27. 

(13) As it is writierijJacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. These 
words are quoted from Malachi 1 : 2, 3, where the prophet is reproving 
the Jews for their ingratitude. As a proof of his peculiar favour, God 
refers to his preference for them from the first, " Was not Esau Jacob's 
brother, saiththe Lord ; yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau," &c. This 
passage, as well as the one quoted in v. 12, and just referred to, relates 
to the descendants of Jacob and Esau, as well as to the individuals them- 
selves ; the favour shown to the posterity of the one, and withheld from 

hat of the other, being founded on the distinction originally made 
between the two brothers. The meaning, therefore, is, that God preferred 
one to the other, or chose one instead of the other. As this is the idea 
meant to be expressed, it is evident that in this case the word hate means 
to love less, to regard and treat with less favour. Thus in Gen. 29 : 33, 
Leah says, she was hated by her husband ; while in the preceding verse, 
the same idea is expressed by saying, " Jacob loved Rachel more than 
Leah," Matt. 10 : 37. Luke 14 : 26, "If a man come to me and hate not 
his father and mother," &c. John 12 : 25. 

The doctrine of the preceding verses is, that God is perfectly sovereign 
in the distribution of his favours, that the ground of his selecting one and 
rejecting another is not their works, but his own good pleasure. To this 
doctrine there are two plausible objections ; first, it is not consistent with 
the divine justice, v. 14; second, it is. incompatible with human respon- 
sibility, V. 19. To the former the apostle answers first, God claino^ dis- 
tinctly in his word this prerogative, v. 15 ; and secondly, he obviously 
exercises it, as is seen in the dispensations of his providence, v. 17. 

(14) What shall we say then, is there unrighteousness with God? God 
forbid. The apostle, according to his usual manner, proposes the objec- 
tion to his own doctrine in the form of a question, denies its validity, and 
immediately subjoins his reason; see Rom. 3: 5. Gal. 3:21. The 
obvious objection here presented is, that it is unjust in God, thus, accord- 
ing to his own purpose, to choose one and reject another. This Paul 
denies, and supports his denial by an appeal, in the first place, to Scrip- 
ture, and in the second to experience. It will be remarked that these ar- 
guments of the apostle are founded on two assumptions. The first is, that 
the Scriptures are the word of God ; and the second, that what God actu- 
ally does cannot be unrighteous. Consequently any objection which can 



228 ROMANS 9: 6—24. 

be shown to militate against either an express declaration of Scripture, or 
an obvious fact in providence, is fairly answered. 

(15) For God saith to Moses, I will have viercy on whom I will have 
mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. The 
connexion and argument are obvious. ' It is not unjust in God to exer- 
cise his sovereignty in the distribution of his mercies, for, he expressly 
claims the right.' The passage quoted is from the account of the solemn 
interview of Moses with God. In answer to the prayer of the prophet 
for his people and for himself, God answered, " I will proclaim my name 
before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious," &c. Ex. 
33: 19. It is, therefore, a formal declaration of a divine prerogative. 
The form of expression I will do what I do, or I do what I do, is here, as 
In Ex. 16 : 23. 2 Sam. 15 : 20, designed to convey the idea, that it rests 
entirely with the agent to act or not, at his pleasure. The ground of 
decision is in himself. In the connexion of this verse with the former, 
therefore, it is obvious that Paul quotes this declaration to prove that God 
claims the sovereignty, which he had attributed to him. 

(16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor him that runneth, &c. 
If the ground of the decision or choice of the objects of mercy be in God, 
as asserted in v. 15, then it is not in man, is a conclusion which flows of 
course from the previous declaration. The word it refers to the result 
contemplated in the context, viz. the attainment of the divine favour, or 
more definitely, admission into the Messiah's kingdom. The result, 
when attained, is to be attributed not to the wishes or efforts of man, but 
to the mercy of God. That one, therefore, is taken, and another left, 
that one is introduced into this kingdom and another not, is to be referred 
to the fact asserted in the preceding verse, that, " God will have mercy 
on whom he will have mercy." This seems plainly to be the apostle's 
meaning. 

(17) For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, &lc. The connexion of this 
verse is with the 14th, rather than with the one immediately preceding. 
Paul is still engaged in answering the objection proposed in the 14th 
verse. There is no injustice with God, because he saith to Moses, *I 
will have mercy,' &c. v. 15, and because the Scripture saith to Pharaoh, for 
this purpose, &c. v. 17. His second answer to the objection is that 
God, in point of fact, does exercise this sovereignty, as is evident, from 
the case of Pharaoh. Pharaoh was no worse than many other men who 
have obtained mercy; yet God, for wise and benevolent reasons, with- 
held from him the saving influences of his grace, and gave him up to his 
own wicked heart, so that he became more and more hardened, until he 
was finally destroyed. God did nothing to Pharaoh beyond his strict 
deserts. He did not make him wicked; he only forebore to make him 
good, by the exertion of special and altogether unmerited grace. The 
reason, therefore, of Pharaoh's being left to perish, while others were 
saved, was not that he was worse than others, but because God has mercy 
on whom he will have mercy ; it was because, among the criminals at 



ROMANS 9: 6—24. 229 

his bar, he pardons one and not another, as seems good in his sight. He, 
therefore, who is pardoned cannot say it was because I was better than 
others ; while he who is condemned must acknowledge that he receives 
nothing more than the just recompense of his sins. In order to establish 
his doctrine of the divine sovereignty, Paul had cited from Scripture the 
declaration that God shows mercy to whom he will ; he now cites an 
example to show that he punishes whom he will. 

Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up. This is what God 
said to Pharaoh, as recorded in Ex. 9 : 16. The meaning of the decla- 
ration may be variously explained. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew 
word used in the passage quoted, means literally, / have caused thee to 
stand. This is understood by some as meaning I have called thee into 
existence. 2. By others, / have preserved thee. 3. By others, / have 
raised thee up as king. 4. By others, I have placed and continued ihee as 
my adversary. Either of these interpretations admits of being defended 
on philological grounds more or less satisfactory. The fourth, which is 
only a modification of the second, is perhaps the nearest to the apostle's 
intention. ' For this purpose have I raised you up, and placed you where 
you are ; and instead of cutting you off at on<3e, have so long endured your 
obstinacy and wickedness.' 

That I might show my 'power in thee, and that my name might he 
declared in all the earth. This is the reason why God dealt with Pharaoh 
in the manner described. It was not that he was worse than others, but 
that God might be glorified. This is precisely the principle on which all 
punishment is inflicted. It is that the true character of the divine law- 
giver should be known. This is of all objects, when God is concerned, 
the highest and most important ; in itself the most worthy, and in its re- 
sults the most beneficent. The ground, therefore, on which Pharaoh 
was made an object of the divine justice, or the reason why the law was 
in his case allowed to take its course, is not to be sought in any peculiarity 
of his character or conduct in comparison with those of others, but in the 
sovereign pleasure of God. This result of the argument Paul formally 
states in the next verse. 

(18) Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and 
whom he will he hardeneih. This is the conclusion, not merely from 
the preceding verse, but from the whole passage, vs. 14 — 17. This per- 
fect sovereignty in the selection of the objects of his mercy and of his 
judgment, Paul had attributed to God in v. 11, and, in the subsequent 
verses, had proved that he claims and exercises it, both in reference to 
the recipients of his favour, v. 15, and the subjects of his wrath, v. 17. 
The doctrine, therefore, is fully established. 

The latter clause of this verse, whom he will he hardeneih, admits of 
various explanations. The word may be taken either in its ordinary 
meaning, or it may be understood in its secondary sense. According to 
the latter view, it means to treat harshly, to punish. -This interpreta 
tion, it must be admitted, is peculiarly suited to the context, ' He hath 

U 



230 ROMANS 9: 6—24. 

mercy on whom he will, and he punishes whom he will.' Nor is it 
entirely destitute of philological support. In Job 39 : 16, it is said of 
the ostrich, " She treateth hardly her young." But, on the other hand, 
it is liable to serious objections. 1. It is certain that it is a very unusual 
sense of the word, and opposed to the meaning in which it frequently 
occurs. There should be very strong reasons for departing from the 
usual meaning of an expression so common in the Scriptures. 2. It is 
inconsistent with those passages in the Old Testament which speak of 
the hardening of Pharaoh's heart. 3. It removes no difficulty ; for what, 
according to the usual sense of the word, is here said, is frequently said 
elsewhere. 

The common sense of the word is, therefore, doubtless to be preferred, 
whom he luill he hardens. This is by many understood to express a 
direct and positive influence of God on the soul in rendering it obdurate. 
But, in the first place, this interpretation is by no means necessary, as 
will presently be shown ; and, in the second, it can hardly be reconciled 
with what the Bible elsewhere teaches of the divine character. 

2. Others think that this phrase is to be explained by a reference to 
that scriptural usage according to which God is said to do whatever, in- 
directly and incidentally, results from his agency ; on the same princi- 
ple that a father is said to ruin his children, or a master his servants ; or 
that Christ is said to produce wars and divisions. Thus, Isa. 6 : 10, the 
prophet is commanded to make the heart of the people fat, and their ears 
heavy, and shut their eyes, &c., as though to him were to be ascribed 
the incidental results of his preaching. In the same way the gospel is 
the cause of death (not of misery only, but of insensibility also) to those 
who hear and disregard it. 

3. Nearly allied to this mode of explanation is that w^iich rests 
j on the assumption that God is said to do what he permits to be 
I done. Reference is made to such passages as the following. 2 Sam. 
I 12: 11, "I will give thy wives unto thy neighbour," i. e. I will per- 
; mit him to take them. 2 Sam. 16 : 10, "The Lord hath said unto 
! him, curse David." Isa. 63 : 17, " O Lord, why hast thou caused us 
; to err from thy ways, and hardened our hearts from thy fear." Deut. 
I 2 : 30, " For the Lord thy God hardened his spirit (Sihon's), that he 

might deliver him into thy hand." 1 Kings 11 : 23, " The Lord stirred 
up another adversary." Ps. 105 : 25, " He turned their hearts to hate 
his people." In 2 Sam. 24 : 1, God is said to have moved David to 
number the people; but in 1 Chron. 21 : 1, Satan is said to have pro- 
voked David to number Israel. From these and similar passages it is 
evident that it is a familiar scriptural usage, to ascribe to God effects 
which he allows in his wisdom to come to pass. Hence almost every 
thing is, at times, spoken of as if it was produced by divine agency, 
although, in a multitude of other places, these same results are referred, 
as in some of the examples cited above, to their immediate authors. 
According to this mode of representation, God is understood as merely 



ROMANS 9 : 6—24. 231 

permitting Pharaoh to harden his own heart, as the result is often ex- 
pressly referred to Pharaoh himself, Exod. 8 : 15, 32, &c. 

4. But there seems to be more expressed by the language of the text 
than mere permission, because it is evidently a punitive act that is here 
intended, and because this view does not suit the other passages in which 
God is said to give sinners up to the evil of their own hearts, Rom. 1 : 
24, 28. It is probable, therefore, that the Judicial abandonment of men 
" to a reprobate mind," a punitive withdrawing of the influences of his 
Holy Spirit, and the giving them up to the uncounteracted operation of 
the hardening or perverting influences by which they are surrounded, are 
all expressed by the language of the apostle. In this God does no more 
than what he constantly threatens to do, or which the Scriptures declare 
he actually does, in the case of those who forsake him ; and nothing 
more than every righteous parent does in reference to a reprobate son. 
This, in connexion with the principle referred to above (in No. 2), seems 
as much as can fairly be considered as included in the expressions. 

(19) Thou ivilt then say unto me, Why doth he y et find fault ? for 
who hath resisted his will? This is the second leading objection to the 
apostle's doctrine. If it is true, as he has just taught, that the destiny 
of men is in the hands of God, if it is not of him who willeth, or of him 
that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy ; what can we do ? If the 
fact that one believes and is saved, and another remains impenitent and 
is lost, depends on God, how can we be blamed] Can we resist his 
will? To this objection the apostle gives two answers: 1. That it 
springs from ignorance of the true relation between God and men, as 
Creator and creatures, and of the nature and extent of the divine au- 
thority over us, vs. 20, 21. 2. That there is nothing in his doctrine 
inconsistent with the divine perfections ; since he does not make men 
wicked, but from the mass of wicked men he pardons one and punishes 
another, for the wisest and most benevolent purposes, vs. 22, 23. 

(20) JV^ay, but, man, who art thou that repUest against God ? 
Shall the thing formed, &c. In these words we have both a reproof 
and an answer. The reproof is directed against the irreverent spirit 
whence such cavils always arise. After the clear proof given in the 
preceding verses, that God claims this sovereignty in his word, and ex- 
ercises it in his providence, it argues great want of reverence for God to 
assert that this claim involves the grossest injustice. It is very common 
with the sacred writers, and with Christ himself, when questions or 
cavils are presented, to direct their answers more to the feeling which 
the question indicated, than to the question itself; see John 3 : 3. Matt. 
8: 19, 20, 22. 19: 16. 22: 29. But in this case, besides this reproof 
for a miserable mortal attempting to call his Maker to account, instead 
of considering that the mere fact that God claims any thing as his right, 
is evidence enough that it is just, there is a direct answer to the difii, 
culty. The objection is founded on ignorance or misapprehension of the 
true relation between God and his sinful creatures. It supposes that he 



ROMANS 9: 6—24. 

is under obligation to extend his grace to all. Whereas he is under 
obligation to none. All are sinners, and have forfeited every claim to 
his mercy ; it is, therefore, perfectl)'^ competent to God to spare one and 
not another; to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour. 
He, as their sovereign Creator, has the same right over them that a pot- 
ter has over the clay. It is to be borne in mind that Paul does not here 
speak of the right of God oter his creatures as creatures, but as sinful 
creatures ; as he himself clearly intimates in the next verses. It is the 
cavil of a sinful creature against his Creator, that he is answering; and 
he does it by showing that God is under no obligation to give his grace 
to any, but is as sovereign as the potter in fashioning the clay. 

Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, TVhy hast thou made 
me thus ? See Isaiah 45 : 9. In this clause Paul presents mainly the 
idea of God's right, and in the subsequent verses he shows that nothing 
unjust is included in the right here claimed. We are justly in his hands ; 
and it is the height of irreverence and folly for us to call him to account 
for the manner in which he may see fit to dispose of us. 

(21) Hath not the potter power over the clay, out of the same lump, to 
make one vessel, &c. The word rendered power means also authority and 
right. In this case it means, the lawful power or right ,- he not only can 
do it, but he has a perfect right to do it ; see the use of the Greek word 
in Matt. 21 : 23. 1 Cor. 8: 9, and frequently elsewhere. This verse is 
merely an illustration of the idea contained in the last clause of the pre- 
ceding. The Creator has a perfect right to dispose of his creatures as 
he sees fit. From the very idea of a creature, it can have no claim on the 
Creator ; whether it exists at all, or how, or where, from the nature of 
the case, must depend on him, and be at his sovereign disposal. The 
illustration of this truth which follows, is peculiarly appropriate. The 
mass of fallen men is in the hands of God as clay in the hands of the 
potter, and it is his right to dispose of them at pleasure ; to make all ves- 
sels unto honour, or all unto dishonour, or some to one and some to the 
other. These are points on which, from the nature of the relation, we 
have no right to question or complain. 

(22, 23) What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his 
power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted 
to destruction ; and thai he might make known the riches of his glory 
on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even 
us P &c. These verses contain Paul's second answer to the diflftculty 
presented in the 19th verse. He had shown in vs. 20, 21, that in virtue 
of his relation to men as his sinful creatures, God is at perfect liberty to 
dispose of them at his pleasure, pardoning one and punishing another, as 
seemeth good in his sight. He now shows that in the exercise of this 
right there is nothing unreasonable or unjust, nothing of which his crea- 
tures have the least right to complain. The punishment of the wicked 
is not an arbitrary act, having no object but to make them miserable; 
it is designed to manifest the displeasure of God against sin, and to make 



ROMANS 9: 6—24. 233 

known his true character. On the other hand, the salvation of the right- 
eous is designed to display the riches of his grace. Both in the punish- 
ment of the one class, and the salvation of the other, most important and 
benevolent ends were to be answered. And since for these ends it was 
necessary that some should be punished, while others might be pardoned, 
as all are equally undeserving, it results from the nature of the case that 
the decision between the vessels of wrath and the vessels of mercy must 
be left to God. The apostle would, moreover, have it remarked that even 
in the necessary punishment of the wicked, God does not proceed with 
any undue severity, but, on the contrary, deals with them with the greatest 
long-suffering and tenderness. Such seems to be the general purport and 
object of these difficult verses. 

The attentive reader will perceive that even with the insertion of the 
word what, which has nothing to answer to it in the original, and with a 
sign of interrogation at the end of v. 24, the construction of the passage 
in our version remains ungrammatical and the sense incomplete. As the 
difficulty exists in the Greek text, and not merely in our translation, the 
explanations which have been proposed are very numerous. The most 
natural explanation is the following, ' What if God, willing to show his 
wrath, bore with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath ; (and what if 
willing) to manifest the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy,' &c. 
According to this interpretation the second clause of v. 22, and the first 
clause of V. 23, are co-ordinate, both depending on the beginning of v. 22. 
'What right have we to object if God, for the display of his righteous jus- 
tice, punishes the wicked, and for the manifestation of his glory pardons 
the vessels of mercy.' This gives a good sense, and one consistent with 
the context. It assumes, indeed, that the construction of the passage is 
irregular; but this assumption must be made whatever interpretation is 
adopted. 

The two objects which Paul here specifies as designed to be answered 
by the punishment of the wicked, are the manifestation of the wrath of 
God, and the exhibition of his power. The word wrath is used here as 
in ch. 1 : 18, for the divine displeasure against sin, the calm and holy 
disapprobation of evil, joined with the determination to punish those who 
commit it. The power of God is conspicuously displayed in the destruc- 
tion of the wicked, no matter how mighty or numerous they may be. 
Though the inherent ill-desert of sin must ever be regarded as the pri- 
mary ground of the infliction of punishment, a ground which would 
remain in full force, were no beneficial results anticipated from the misery 
of the wicked, yet God has so ordered his government that the evils 
which sinners incur shall result in the manifestation of his character, and 
the consequent promotion of the holiness and happiness of his intelligent 
creatures throughout eternity. 

God treats the wicked, not as a severe judge, but with much long-suf- 
fering. The expression vessels of wrath no doubt suggested itself from 
the illustration of the potter used in the preceding verse ; though the term 

u2 



234 ROMANS 9 : 6—24. 

vessel is used not unfrequently in reference to men, Acts 9:15. 1 Pet. 3 : 
7. Vessels of wrath, i. e. vessels which deserve wrath, or which are to 
be objects of wrath ; as vessels of mercy are those which are to be the 
objects of mercy ; or these phrases may mean vessels destined to wrath and 
destined to mercy, corresponding to the expressions vessels ujito honour ?Lnd. 
unto dishonour, of the preceding verse. This last explanation, on account 
of the context, seems the most probable. 

Fitted to destruction. The word here used admits of being taken either 
as passive or middle, and may, therefore, be rendered as it is in our ver- 
sion, ox who have fitted themselves for destruction. If the passive sense 
be adopted, then the meaning may he, prepared hy God for destruction ; 
or the participle maybe taken rather as a verbal adjective, fitted for 
destruction, expressing merely the idea of being ready for that end. 
In favour of this latter view, it may be noticed that in the next verse, 
when speaking of the vessels of mercy, the active voice is used, 
" which God had before prepared unto glory ;" as if designedly to mark the 
difference between the two cases. If the other explanation {prepared hy 
God) be adopted, then, of course, the words must be taken in a sense mo- 
dified by the nature of the subject, and other passages of Scripture. 
Wicked men are prepared for destruction by God, not as being created 
for that purpose, but as being devoted to it on account of their sins, and 
borne with until they are ripe for their doom. This explanation is 
adopted not only by the stronger Calvinists, but by many of the neolo- 
gical commentators. There seems, however, no valid objection to the 
interpretation prepared or fit for destruction ; and which is the rather to 
be preferred, because the apostle, being here engaged in vindicating the 
divine proceedings, would naturally speak of the objects of the divine 
wrath as being fitted for destruction, in the sense of deserving it, &c. 

(23) And that he might make known the riches of his glory, &c. See 
the preceding verse for the grammatical connexion of this verse with 
v. 22. The sense is plain, ' What right have men to complain, if God 
punishes the wicked, and manifests the riches of his glory on the objects 
of his mercy V The word glory is used in reference to any thing in God 
which is the foundation of praise. Hence, it is used for each of his 
attributes, as, for example, for his power, Rom. 6 : 4. John 11 : 40 ; for 
his mercy, Eph. 3 : 16, and here; or for all his attributes collectively, as 
in 2 Cor. 4:6, " To give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of 
God," &c. Such, too, may be its force in this passage, as it is not mercy 
only, but wisdom, power, goodness, &c., which are manifested in the 
salvation of his people. As the wrath and power of God are manifested 
in the destruction of the wicked, so are the riches of his glory in the 
salvation of his people. 

On the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory. 
For the meaning of the phrase vessels of mercy, see the preceding verse. 
The word rendered he had afore prepared has this signification fre- 
quently ; indeed it is its common and proper meaning. Since to prepare 



ROMANS 9: 6—24. 235 

beforehand and to predestine are very nearly related ideas, the word is 
also used in this latter sense. Eph. 2: 10, "Which God had before 
ordained that we should walk in them." This meaning- is commonly 
adopted here, "Which God had foreordained unto glory;' see the pa- 
rallel passage in Acts 13: 48, "As many as were ordained to eternal life 
believed." The other signification of the word, however, gives a very 
good sense. ' Which he had before prepared, by his providence and 
grace, unto glory.' 

(24) Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also 
of the Gentiles. We are the vessels of his mercy, even we whom he 
hath called, i. e. effectually introduced by his Spirit into the kingdom of 
Christ; see ch*8 : 28, 30. How naturally does the apostle here return 
to the main subject of discussion ! How skilfully is the conclusion 
brought out at which he has continually aimed ! God chose Isaac in 
preference to Ishmael, Jacob in preference to Esau; it is a prerogative 
which he claims and exercises, of selecting from among the guilty 
family of men whom he pleases as the objects of his mercy, and leaving 
whom he pleases to perish in their sins, unrestricted in his choice by the 
descent or previous conduct of the individuals. He has mercy upon 
whom he will have mercy. He calls men, therefore, from among the 
Gentiles, and from among the Jews, indiscriminately. This is the. 
.result at which the apostle aimed. The Gentiles are admitted into the 
Messiah's kingdom, vs. 25, 26 ; and the great body of the Jews are 
excluded, v. 27. This conclusion he confirms by explicit declarations 
of Scripture. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. No external circumstance, no descent from pious parents, no con- 
nexion with the true church, can secure admission for men into the king- 
dom of Christ, vs. 6 — 12. 

2. Paul teaches clearly the doctrine of the personal election of men to 
eternal life, an election founded not on works, but on the good pleasure 
of God. The choice is to eternal life, and not to external privileges 
merely. 1. Because the very point to be illustrated and established, 
through this and the two following chapters, is the free admission of 
men into the Messiah's kingdom and its spiritual and eternal blessings. 
2. Because the language of the apostle seems of itself to preclude the 
other idea, in vs. 15, 16, and especially in v. 18, " Therefore he hath 
mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth." This is not 
applicable to the reception of men to a state of peculiar external privileges 
or their rejection from it. 3. The case of Pharaoh is not an illustration 
of the refusal to admit some men to peculiar privileges. 4. The choice 
is between the vessels of mercy and vessels of wrath ; vessels of mercy 
chosen unto glory, not unto church privileges, and vessels of wrath who 
were to be made the examples of God's displeasure against sin. 5. The 



236 ROMANS 9 : 6—24. 

character of the objections to the apostle's doctrine shows that such was 
the nature of the choice. 

The election here spoken of is a choice of individuals^ and not of 
communities. This appears, 1. Because it is a choice to eternal life. 
2. From the cases of Isaac and Ishmael, and Jacob and Esau, between 
whom, as individuals, the choice was made. 3. From the illustration 
derived from the case of Pharaoh. 4. From the objections presented in 
vs. 14, 19. 5. From the answer to these objections in vs. 15, 16, 20, 23, 
especially from the passage just referred to, which speaks of the vessels 
of mercy prepared unto glory ; which cannot be applied to nations or 
communities. 

This election is sovereign^ i. e. is founded on the good pleasure of 
God, and not on any thing in its objects. 1. Because this is expressly 
asserted. The choice between Jacob and Esau was made prior to birth, 
that it might be seen that it was not founded on works, but on the good 
pleasure of God, v. 11. The same is clearly stated in v. 16, "It is not 
of him that willeth or of him that runneth, but of God that showeth 
mercy ;" and also in v. 18, " Therefore he hath mercy on whom he will," 
&c. The decision rests with God. 2. Because otherwise there would 
be no shadow of objection to the doctrine. How could men say it was 
unjust if God chose one and rejected another according to their works? 
And how could any one object, as in v. 19, ' that as the will of God could 
not be resisted, men were not to be blamed,' if the decision in question 
did not depend on the will of God, but on that of men 1 How easy for 
the apostle to have answered the objector, ' You are mistaken, the choice 
is not of God, he does not choose whom he wills, but who he sees will 
choose him. It is not his will, but man's that decides the point.' Paul 
does not so answer, but vindicates the doctrine of the divine sovereignty. 
The fact, therefore, that Paul had to answer the same objections which 
are now constantly urged against the doctrine of election, goes far to 
show that that doctrine was his. 3. That the election is sovereign, is 
taught elsewhere in Scripture. In 2 Tim. 1:9, it is said to be " not 
according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace." 
Eph. 1 : 5, it is said to be " according to the good pleasure of his will," 
i. e. his sovereign pleasure. 4. This view alone harmonizes with the 
doctrine that all good thoughts, and right purposes and feelings, proceed 
from God, which is clearly taught in the Scriptures. For if the purpose 
not to resist 'common grace' is a right purpose, it is of God, and, of 
course, it is of him that one man forms it, and another does not. 5. This 
doctrine is alone consistent with Christian experience. " Why was I 
made to hear thy voice V No Christian answers this question by say- 
ing, because I was better than others. 

3. The two leading objections against the doctrine of election, viz. 
that it is inconsistent with the divine character, and incompatible with 
human responsibility, are answered by the apostle. It cannot be unjust, 
because God claims and exercises the right of sovereign choice. It is 



ROMANS 9: 6—24. 237 

not inconsistent with human responsibility, because God does not make 
men wicked. Though, as their Creator, he has a right to dispose of 
wicked men as he pleases, he only of the same corrupt mass chooses one 
to honour, and the other to dishonour, vs. 14 — 23. 

4. Scripture must ever be consistent with itself. The rejection of the 
Jews could not be inconsistent with any of God's promises, v. 6. 

5. The true children of God become such only in virtue of a divine pro- 
mise or by the special exercise of his grace. They are born not of the 
will of the flesh, but of God, v. 8. 

6. Though children prior to birth do neither good nor evil, yet they 
may be naturally depraved. They neither hunger nor thirst, yet are 
hunger and thirst natural appetites. They exercise neither love nor 
anger, yet are these natural passions. They know probably neither joy 
nor sorrow, yet are these natural emotions, v. 11. 

7. The manifestation of the divine perfections is the last and highest 
end of all things, vs. 17, 23, 23. 

8. The fact that the destiny of men is in the hands of God (that it is 
not of him- that willeth, or him that runneth), is not inconsistent with 
the necessity of the use of means. The fact that the character of the 
harvest depends on the sovereign pleasure of God, does not render the 
labour of the husbandman of no account. The same God who says, " I 
will have mercy on whom I will," says also, " Work out your salvation 
with fear and trembling." The sovereignty of God and the necessity of 
human efforts are both clearly taught in the Scriptures. At times the 
former, as in this chapter, at times the latter doctrine is most insisted 
upon. Neither should be forgotten or neglected, as both conspire to 
produce the right impression on the mind, and to lead us to God in the 
way of his own appointment, v. 16. 

9. Men, considered as the objects of election, are regarded as fallen. 
It is from the corrupt mass that God chooses one vessel to honour and 
one to dishonour, vs. 22, 23. 

10. The judicial abandonment of men to their own ways, the giving 
them up to work out their own destruction, is a righteous but dreadful 
doom, vs. 18, 22, also ch. 1 : 24, 26. 

REMARKS. 

1. If descent from Abraham, participation in all the privileges of the 
theocracy, the true and only church, failed to secure for the Jews the 
favour of God, how foolish the expectation of those who rely on outward 
ordinances and church relations as the ground of their acceptance! 
vs. 6—13. 

2. The doctrine of the sovereignty of God in the choice of the objects 
of his mercy should produce, 1. The most profound humility in those 
who are called according to his purpose. They are constrained to say, 
" Not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy name be all the glory." 2. The 
liveliest gratitude that we, though so unworthy, should from eternity 



238 ROMANS 9 : 25—33. 

have been selected as the objects in which God will display " the riches 
of his glory." 3. Confidence and peace, under all circumstances, be- 
cause the purpose of God does not change ; whom he has predestinated, 
them he also calls, justifies, and glorifies. 4. Diligence in the discharge 
of all duty, to make our calling and election sure. That is, to make it 
evident to ourselves and others that we are the called and chosen of God. 
We should ever remember that election is to holiness, and consequently 
to live in sin is to invalidate every claim to be considered as one of 
« God's elect." 

3. As God is the immutable standard of right and truth, the proper 
method to answer objections against the doctrines we profess, is to appeal 
to what God says, and to what he does. Any objection that can be 
shown to be inconsistent with any declaration of Scripture, or with any 
fact in providence, is sufficiently answered, vs. 15, 17. 

4. It should, therefore, be assumed, as a first principle, that God can- 
not do wrong. If he does a thing, it must be right. And it is much 
safer for us, corrupt and blinded mortals, thus to argue, than to pursue 
the opposite course, and maintain that God does not and cannot do so 
and so, because in our judgment it would be wrong, vs. 15 — 19. 

5. All cavilling against God is wicked. It is inconsistent with our 
relation to him as our Creator. It is a manifestation of self-ignorance, 
and of irreverence to God, v. 20. 

6. What proof of piety is there in believing our own eyes, or in receiv- 
ing the deductions of our own reasoning? But to confide in God, when 
clouds and darkness are round about him; to be sure that what he does 
is right, and that what he says is true, when we cannot see how either 
the one or the other can be, this is acceptable in his sight. And to this 
trial he subjects all his people, vs. 20 — 24. 

7. If the manifestation of the divine glory is the highest end of God 
in creation, providence and redemption, it is the end for which we should 
live and be willing to die. To substitute any other end, as our own 
glory and advantage, is folly, sin, and self-destruction, vs. 17, 22, 23. 

8. The fact that God says to some men, " Let them alone ;" that " he 
gives them up to a reprobate mind ;" that he withholds from them, in 
punishment of their sins, the influences of his Spirit, should fill all the 
impenitent with alarm. It should lead them to obey at once his voice, 
lest he swear in his wrath that they shall never enter into his rest, 
vs. 17, 18. 

9. We and all things else are in the hands of God. He worketh all 
things after the counsel of his own will. The Lord reigns, let the earth 
rejoice, vs. 14 — 24. 

CHAP. 9: 25—33. 

2^ As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people which were not 
iny people and her beloved, which was not beloved, ^s^^d it shall 



ROMANS 9 : 25—33, 239 

come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not 
my people; there shall they he called the children of the living God. 
^''Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the chil- 
dren of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved : ^^for 
he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness : because a 
short work will the Lord make upon the earth. ^^And as Esaias said 
before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as 
Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. ^°What shall we say 
then ■? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have 
attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 
^^But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not 
attained to the law of righteousness. ^^Wherefore ? Because they sought 
it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stum- 
bled at that stumbling-stone; ^^as it is written. Behold, I lay in Sion a 
stumblmg-stone and rock of offence : and whosoever believeth on him 
shall not be ashamed. 

ANALYSIS. 

The conclusion at which the apostle had arrived in the preceding sec- 
tion was, that God was at liberty to select the objects of his mercy, in- 
discriminately, from among the Gentiles and Jews. This conclusion he 
now confirms by the declarations of the Old Testament, according to 
which it is clear, 1. That those were to be included in the kingdom of 
God who originally were considered as aliens, vs. 25, 26 ; and, 2. That, 
as to the Israelites, only a small portion should attain to the blessings 
of the Messiah's reign, and, of course, the mere being a Jew by birth 
was no security of salvation, vs. 27 — 29. The inference from all this 
is, that the Gentiles are called, and 4he Jews, as Jews, are rejected, 
vs. 30, 31. The reason of this rejection is, that they would not submit 
to the terms of salvation presented in the gospel, v. 32. As it had been 
long before predicted, they rejected their Messiah, taking offence at him, 
seeing in him no form nor comeliness, that they should desire him, v. 33. 

COMMENTARY. 

(25) The first part of the general conclusion, contained in the 24th 
verse, is, that the Gentiles are eligible to the blessings of Christ's king- 
dom. This the apostle confirms by two passages from the prophecies 
of Hosea, which express the general sentiment that those who, under 
the old economy, were not regarded as the people of God, should here- 
after (i. e. under the Messiah) become his people. The first passage 
cited is from' Hos. 2 : 23, which in our version is, " I will have mercy 
on her that had not obtained mercy ; and I will say to them which were 
not my people, thou art my people." The Hebrew, however, admits of 
the rendering given by the apostle, as the word translated to have mercy 
may signify to love. The difficulty with regard to this passage is, that 
in Hosea it evidently has reference not to the heathen, but to the ten 



240 ROMANS 9 : 25—33. 

tribes ; whereas Paul refers it to the Gentiles, as is also done by Peter, 
1 Pet. 2:10. This difficulty is sometimes gotten over by giving a dif- 
ferent view of the apostle's object in the citation, and making it refer to 
the restoration of the Jews. But this interpretation is obviously at va- 
riance with the context. It is more satisfactory to say that the ten tribes 
were in a heathenish state, relapsed into idolatry, and, therefore, what 
was said of them, is of course applicable to others in like circumstances, 
or of like character. What amounts to much the same thing, the senti- 
ment of the prophet is to be taken generally, ' those v/ho were excluded 
from the theocracy, who were regarded and treated as aliens, were here- 
after to be treated as the people of God.' In this view, it is perfectly 
applicable to the apostle's object, which was to convince the Jews that 
the blessings of Christ's kingdom were not to be confined within the 
pale of the Old Testament economy, or limited to those who, in their 
external relations, were considered the people of God ; on the contrary, 
those who, according to the rules of that economy, were not the people 
of God, should hereafter become such. This method of interpreting and 
applying Scripture is both common and correct. A general truth, stated 
in reference to a particular class of persons, is to be considered as in- 
tended to apply to all those whose character and circumstances are the 
same, though the form or words of the original enunciation may not be 
applicable to all embraced within the scope of the general sentiment. 
Thus what is said of one class of heathen, as such, is applicable to all 
others, and what is said of one portion of aliens from the Old Testament 
covenant, may properly be referred to others. 

(26) And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said to 
them, ye are not my people, &c. This quotation is more strictly con- 
formed to the Hebrew than the preceding. It is from Hos. 1 : 10. The 
sentiment is the same as before. 

(27, 28) The second part of the apostle's conclusion, v. 24, is that the 
Jews, as such, were not to be included in the kingdom of Christ, which 
of course is implied in all those predictions which speak of them as in 
general cut oflf and rejected. Two such passages Paul quotes from 
Isaiah. The first is from Isa. 10 : 22, 23. Though the number of the 
children of Israel he as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved, 
for he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness : because 
a short vjork will the Lord make in the earth. This passage is nearer 
the LXX. translation than the Hebrew. The general sense is the same 
in both, and also in the apostle's version, ' However numerous the chil- 
dren of Israel might be, only a small portion of them should escape the 
judgments of God.' This being the case, it is evident that the mere 
being a Jew was never considered sufficient to secure the divine favour. 
The portion of the prophecy contained in v. 27 is the principal point, 
» Only a few of the Jews were to be saved.' What is contained in v. 28 
is an amplification, or states the converse of the preceding proposition, 



ROMANS 9: 25—33. 241 

Most of the Jews should be cut off.' The passage in Isaiah, therefore, 
IS strictly applicable to the apostle's object. 

(29) The second passage quoted by the ' apostle is from Isa. 1: 9, 
Except the Lord of hosts had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, 
been made like unto Gomorrah, The object of this quotation is the 
same as that of the preceding, viz. to show that being Israelites was not 
enough to secure either exemption from divine judgments, or the enjoy- 
ment of God's favour. The passage is perfectly in point, for although 
the prophet is speaking of the national judgments which the people had 
brought upon themselves by their sins, and by which they were well 
nigh cut off entirely, yet it was necessarily involved in the destruction 
of the people for their idolatry and other crimes, that they perished from 
the kingdom of God. Of course the passage strictly proves what Paul 
designed to establish, viz. that the Jews, as Jews, were as much exposed 
to God's judgments as others, and consequently could lay no specia 
claim to admission into the kingdom of heaven. 

Paul here again follows the Septuagint. The only difference, how 
ever, is that the Greek version has a seed, instead of a remnant, as it is in 
the Hebrew. The sense is precisely the same. The Hebrew word 
means that which remains; and seed, as used in this passage, means the 
seed preserved for sowing. The figure, therefore, is striking and beau- 
tiful. Lord of hosts is a frequent designation for the Supreme God in 
the Old Testament. As the word host is used in reference to any multi- 
tude arranged in order, as of men in an army, of angels, of the stars, or 
of all the heavenly bodies, including the -sun and moon ; so the expres- 
sion Lord of hosts may mean Lord of armies. Lord of angels, or Lord of 
heaven, or of the universe as a marshalled host; see 1 Kings 22: 19, 
" I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven stand- 
ing by him;" 2 Chron. 18 : 18. Ps. 103: 21. 148: 2, "Praise ye him, 
all his angels, praise ye him, all his hosts." In other passages the 
reference is, with equal distinctness, to the stars, Jer. 33 : 22. Deut. 
4 : 19, and frequently. It is most probable, therefore, that God is called 
Lord of hosts in reference to his headship over the whole heavens, and 
all that they contain, Lord of hosts being equivalent to Lord of the 
universe. 

(30) Having proved that God was free to call the Gentiles, as well as 
the Jews, into his kingdom, and that it had been predicted that the great 
body of the Jevt^s were to be rejected, he comes now to state the imme- 
diate ground of this rejection. What shall we say then? This may 
mean either, ' What is the inference from the preceding discussion V and 
the answer follows, * The conclusion is, the Gentiles are called and the 
Jews rejected;' or, ' What shall we say, or object to the fact that the 
Gentiles are accepted,'- &c. &c. But the former explanation is better 
suited to the context, especially to v. 32, and to the apostle's common 
use of this expression ; see v. 14, ch. 7: 7 8 : 31. 

That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have at- 

X 



242 ROMANS 9 : 25—33. 

tatned, &c. The inference is, that what to all human probability was 
the most unlikely to occur, has actually taken place. The Gentiles, 
sunk in carelessness and sin, have attained the favour of God, while the 
Jews, to whom religion was a business, have utterly failed. Why is 
this 1 The reason is given in v. 32 ; it was because they would not sub- 
mit to be saved on the terms which God proposed, but insisted on reach- 
ing heaven in their own way. To follow after righteousness is to press 
forward towards it, as towards the prize in a race, Phil. 3 : 14. The 
word rendered righteousness, might more properly be rendered justifica- 
tion, the consequence of having fulfilled the law ; a state of favour with 
God. It, therefore, includes all the blessings consequent on union to 
Christ; see Gal. 2: 21. 3: 21. 5: 5. This the Gentiles did not seek 
after, they cared nothing about the favour of God and the blessings there- 
with connected. But still they attained to righteousness, i. e. as before, 
justification, all the consequences of being righteous in the estimation 
of God. 

Evefi the righteousness which is of faith, i. e. even that justification which 
is attained by faith. In all these clauses, however, the word righteous- 
ness, as expressing the sum of the divine requisitions, that which fulfils 
the law, may be retained. ' 7'he Gentiles did not seek this righteousness, 
yet they attained it; not that righteousness which is of the law, but that 
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God (accept- 
able to God) by faith,' Phil. 3 : 9. They obtained that which satisfied 
the demands of the law, and was acceptable in the sight of God. It is 
very probable that Paul included both ideas in the word which he used, 
that is, both the excellence which satisfied the law, i. e. righteousness, 
and its consequence, i. e. justification. 

(31) What the Gentiles thus attained, the Jews failed to secure. The 
former he had described as "not following after righteousness;" the 
latter he characterizes as those who follow after the law of righteousness. 
The expression law of righteousness may be variously explained. Law 
may be taken in its general sense o^ rule, as in ch. 3 : 27, and elsewhere. 
The meaning would then be, ' They followed after, i. e. they attended 
diligently to, the rule which they thought would lead to their attaining 
righteousness or being justified, but they did not attain unto that rule 
which actually leads to such results.' Or, 2. The word law may be 
redundant, and Paul may mean to say nothing more than that ' The Jews 
sought righteousness or justification, but did not attain it.' This, no 
doubt, is the substance, though it may not be the precise form of the 
thought. In favour of this view is a comparison with the preceding and 
succeeding verses, and the fact that the word is elsewhere nearly redun- 
dant, as " law of sin," ch. 7 : 23, for sin itself. The first interpretation, 
however, is probably the most correct. 

(32) The reason why the Jews failed of securing the divine favour is 
thus stated. Because they sought it not ly faith, but, as it were, by the 
works of the law. In other words, they would not submit to the method 



ROMANS 9: 25—33. 243 

of justification proposed by God, which was alone suitable for sinners, 
and persisted in trusting to their own imperfect works. The force of the 
word rendered as it were, may be explained by paraphrasing the clause 
thus, ' as though they supposed it could be obtained by the works of the 
law ;' (see 2 Cor. 3:5.2:7,)' They sought it as (being) of the works of 
the law.' For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone. That is, they did 
as it had been predicted they would do, they took offence at the Messiah 
and at the plan of salvation which he came to reveal. 

(33) What it was they stumbled at, the apostle declares in this verse, 
and shows that the rejection of the Messiah by the Jews was predicted 
in the Old Testament. As it is written, Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling- 
stone and a rock of offence ,• and whosoever believeth on him shall not be 
ashamed. This passage is apparently made up of two, one occurring in 
Isa. 28 : 16, the other in Isa. 8 : 14. In both of these passages mention 
is made of a stone, but the predicates of this stone, as given in the latter 
passage, are transferred to the other, and those there mentioned omitted. 
This methodiDf quoting Scripture is common among all writers, especially 
where the several passages quoted and merged into each other, refer to 
the same subject. It is obvious that the writers of the New Testament 
are very free in their mode of quoting from the Old, giving the sense, as 
they, being inspired by the same Spirit could do authoritatively, without 
binding themselves strictly to the words. The former of the two pas- 
sages here referred to, stands thus, in our version, " Behold I lay in Zion 
for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-s^one, a sure 
foundation ; he that believeth shall not make haste," which is according 
to the Hebrew. The other passage, Isa. 8 : 14, is, " And he shall be for 
a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to both 
houses of Israel." 

Isaiah 28, is a prophecy against those who had various false grounds 
of confidence, and who desired a league with Egypt as a defence against 
the attacks of the Assyrians. God says he has laid a much more secure 
foundation for his church than any such confederacy, even a precious, 
tried corner-stone; those who confided on it should never be confounded. 
The prophets, constantly filled with the expectation of the Messiah, and, 
in general, ignorant of the time of his advent, were accustomed, on every 
threatened danger, to comfort the people by the assurance that the efforts 
of their enemies could not prevail, because the Messiah was to come. 
Until his advent, they could not, as a people, be destroyed, and when he 
came, there should be a glorious restoration of all things ; see Isa. 7 : 
14 — 16, and elsewhere. There is, therefore, no force in the objection, 
that the advent of Christ was an event too remote to be available to the 
consolation of the people, when threatened with the immediate invasion 
of their enemies. This passage, therefore, is properly quoted by the 
apostle, because it was intended originally to apply to Christ. The 
sacred writers of the New Testament so understood and explain it ; 



244 ROMANS 9 : 25—33. 

see 1 Pet. 2 : 6. Matt. 21 : 42. Acts 4:11; compare also Ps. 118 : 22. 
1 Cor. 3 : 11. Eph. 2 : 20, and other passages, in which Christ is spoken 
of as the foundation or corner-stone of his church. The same interpre- 
tation of the passage was given by the ancient Jews. 

The other passage, Isa. 8 : 14, is of much the same character. God 
exhorts the people not to be afredd of the combination between Syria and 
Ephraim. The Lord of hosts was to be feared and trusted, he would be 
a refuge to those who confided in hira, but a stone of stumbling and rock 
of offence to all others. This passage too, as appears from a comparison 
of the one previously cited with Ps. 118 : 22, and the quotation and appli- 
cation of them by the New Testament writers, refers to Christ. What is 
said in the Old Testament of Jehovah, the inspired penmen of the New 
do not hesitate to refer to the Saviour; compare John 12 : 41. Isa. 6 : 1. 
Heb. 1 : 10, 11. Ps. 102 : 25. 1 Cor. 10 : 9. Ex. 17 : 2, 7. When God, 
therefore, declared that he should be a sanctuary to one class of the people, 
and a rock of offence to another, he meant that he, in the person of his 
Son, as the Immanuel, would thus be confided in by some, but rejected 
and despised by others. The whole spirit, opinions, and expectations of 
the Jews were adverse to the person, character, and doctrines of the 
Redeemer. He was, therefore, to them a stumbling block, as he was to 
others foolishness. They could not recognise him as their fondly antici- 
pated Messiah, nor consent to enter the kingdom of heaven on the terms 
which he prescribed. In them, therefore, were fulfilled the ancient pro- 
phecies, which spoke of their rejection of Christ, and consequent excision 
from the people of God. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. Exclusion from the pale of any visible church does not of itself 
imply that men are without the reach of divine mercy, vs. 25, 26. 

2. As the world has hitherto existed, only a small portion of the nomi- 
nal members of the church, or of the professors of the true religion, has 
been the real people of God, vs. 27, 28, 29. 

3. Error is often a greater obstacle to the salvation of men than care- 
lessness or vice. Christ said that publicans and harlots would enter 
the kingdom of God before the Pharisees. In like manner the thought- 
less and sensual Gentiles were more susceptible of impression from the 
gospel, and were more frequently converted to Christ, than the Jews, 
who were wedded to erroneous views of the plan of salvation, vs. 30, 31. 

4. Agreeably to the declarations of the previous portion of this chapter, 
and the uniform tenor of Scripture, the ground of the distinction between 
the saved and the lost is to be found, not in men, but in God. He has 
mercy on whom he will have mercy. But the ground of the condemna- 
tion of men is always in themselves. That God gave his saving grace 
to more Gentiles than Jews, in the early ages of the church, must be 
referred to his sovereign pleasure ; but that the Jews were cut off and 



I 



ROMANS 9 : 25—33. 245 

perished, is to be referred to their own unbelief. In like manner, every 
sinner must look into his own heart and conduct for the ground of his 
condemnation, and never to any secret purpose of God, v. 32. 

5. Christ crucified has ever been either foolishness or an offence to 
unrenewed men. Hence, right views of the Saviour's character and cor- 
dial approbation of the plan of salvation through him, are characteristic of 
those " who are called ;" i. e. they are evidences of a renewed heart, 
v. 33. 

REMARKS. 

1. The consideration that God has extended to us, who were not his 
people, all the privileges and blessings of his children, should be a con- 
stant subject of gratitude, vs. 25, 26. 

2. If only a remnant of the Jewish church, God's own people, were 
saved, how careful and solicitous should all professors of religion be, 
that their faith and hope be well founded, vs. 27 — 29. 

3. Let no man think error in doctrine a slight practical evil. No road 
to perdition has ever been more thronged than that of false doctrine. 
Error is a shield over the conscience, and a bandage over the eyes, vs. 
30, 31. 

4. No form of error is more destructive than that which leads to self- 
dependence ; either reliance on our own powers, or on our own merit, 
V. 32. 

5. To criminate God, and excuse ourselves, is always an evidence of 
ignorance and depravity, v. 32. 

6. Christ declared those blessed who were not offended at him. If 
our hearts are right in the sight of God, Jesus Christ is to us at once 
the object of supreme affection, and the sole ground of confidence, v. 33. 

7. The gospel produced at first the same effects as those we now wit- 
ness. It had the same obstacles to surmount ; and it was received or 
rejected by the same cla'sses of men then as now. Its history, therefore, 
is replete with practical instruction. 



CHAPTER X. 

CONTENTS. 

The object of this chapter, as of the preceding and of the one which 
follows, is to set forth the truth in reference to the rejection of the Jews 
as the peculiar people of God, and the extension to all nations of the 
offers of salvation. The first verses are again, as those at the beginning 
of ch. 9, introductory and conciliatory, setting forth the ground of the 
rejection of the Jews, vs. 1 — 4. The next section contains an exhibition 

x2 



246 ROMANS 10: 1—10. 

of the terms of salvation, designed to show that they were as accessible 
to the Gentiles as the Jews, vs. 5 — 10. The plan of salvation being 
adapted to all, and God being the God of all, the gospel should be 
preached to all, vs. 11 — 17. The truth here taught (the calling of the 
Gentiles, &c.) was predicted clearly in the Old Testament, vs. 18 — 21. 

CHAP. 10: 1—10. 

^Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they 
might be saved. ^Por I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, 
but not according to knowledge. ^For they being ignorant of God's 
righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have 
not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. ^For Christ is 
the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. ^For 
Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law. That the man 
which doeth those things shall live by them. ^But the righteousness 
which is of faith speaketh on thiswise, Say not in thine heart. Who shall 
ascend into heaven 1 (that is, to bring Christ down from above .•) ''Or, 
Who shall descend into the deep 1 (that is, to bring up Christ again from 
the dead.) ^But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy 
mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 
^that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt 
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt 
be saved. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness ; and 
with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

ANALYSIS. 

With his usual tenderness the apostle assures his brethren of his soli- 
citude for their welfare, and of his proper appreciation of their character, 
vs. 1, 2. The difficulty was, that they would not submit to the plan of 
salvation proposed in the gospel, and, therefore, they rejected the Saviour. 
This was the true ground of their excision from the people of God, vs. 
3, 4. The method of justification, on which the Jews insisted, was 
legal, and from its nature must be confined to themselves, or to those 
who would consent to become Jews. Its terms, when properly under- 
stood, were perfectly impracticable, v. 5. But the gospel method of sal- 
vation prescribes no such severe terms, it simply requires cordial faith 
and open profession, vs. 6 — 10. This, he shows, in the next verse, is 
the doctrine of the Scriptures, and from it he infers the applicability of 
this plan to all men, Gentiles as well as Jews. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) Brethren, my hearfs desire, and prayer to God for Israel is. 
that they might be saved. As the truth which Paul was to reiterate in 
the ears of the Jew was, of all others, to them the most offensive, he 
endeavours to allay their enmity, first, by assuring them of his affection 



ROMANS 10: 1—10. 247 

and, secondly, by avoiding all exaggeration in the statement of their case. 
He had no pleasure in contemplating the evils which impended over them, 
his earnest desire and prayer was that they might he saved ; literally to 
salvation, as expressing the end or object towards which his wishes and 
prayers tend ; see ch. 6 : 22. Gal. 3 : 17, and frequent examples else- 
where of this use of the preposition here used. 

(2) For I hear them record that they have a zeal of God. So far from 
desiring to exaggerate the evil of their conduct, the apostle, as was his 
uniform manner, endeavoured to bring every thing commendable and ex- 
culpatory fully into view. The word for has here its appropriate force, 
as it introduces the ground or reason of the preceding declaration. 'I 
desire their salvation, /or they themselves are far from being unconcerned 
as to divine things.' Zeal of God may mean very great zeal, as cedars of 
God mean great cedars, according to a common Hebrew idiom ; or zeal 
of which God is the object ; the latter explanation is to be preferred. 
John 2:17," The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up." Acts 21 : 20, 
" Zealous of the law." Acts 22 : 3, " Zealous of God," Gal. 1 : 14, 
&c. &c. The Jews had great zeal about God, but it was wrong as to its 
object, and of consequence wrong in its moral qualities. Zeal when 
rightly directed, however ardent, is humble and amiable. When its 
object is evil, it is proud, censorious, and cruel. But not according to 
knowledge. Neither enlightened nor wise ; neither right as to its objects, 
nor correct in its character. The former idea is here principally intended. 
The Jews were zealous about their law, the traditions of their fathers, 
and the establishment of their own merit. How naturally would a 
zeal for such objects make men place religion in the observance of exter- 
nal rites ; and be connected with pride, censoriousness, and a persecuting 
spirit. In so far, however, as this zeal was a zeal about God, it was pre- 
ferable to indifference, and is, therefore, mentioned by the apostle with 
qualified commendation. 

(3) For they heing ignorant of God^s righteousness, and going about 
to establish their own righteousness, have not, &c. The grand mistake 
of the Jews was about the method of justification. Ignorance on this 
point implied ignorance of the character of God, of the requirements of the 
law, and of themselves. It was, therefore, and is, and must continue 
ever to be a vital point. Those who err essentially here, err fatally ; and 
those who are right here, cannot be wrong as to other necessary truths. 
The phrase righteousness of God admits here, as in other parts of the 
epistle, of various interpretations. See remarks on ch. 1 : 17. The 
interpretation which best suits this and other similar passages is, that 
righteousness of which God is the author ; that which he approves and 
accepts. The meaning then is, ' Being ignorant of that righteousness 
which God has provided, and endeavouring to establish their own, they 
have not submitted to his.' The cause of the rejection of the Jews was 
their rejection of the method of salvation through a crucified Redeemer 



248 ROMANS 10: 1—10. 

and their persisting in confiding in their own merits and advantages as 
the ground of their acceptance with God. 

(4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one 
that believeth. The general import of the passage is sufficiently obvious, 
but its exact sense is not so easy to determine, on account of the ambi- 
guity of the word translated end. The word may signify, 1. The object 
to which any thing leads. Christ is, in this sense, the end of the law, 
inasmuch as the law was a schoolmaster to lead us to him, Gal. 3 ; 24 ; 
and as all its types and prophecies pointed to him, " They were a shadow 
of things to come, but the body is of Christ," Col. 2 : 17. Heb. 9 : 9. 
The meaning and connexion of the passage would then be, ' The Jews 
erred in seeking justification from the law, for the law was designed not 
to afford justification, but to lead them to Christ, in order that they might 
be justified.' 2. The word may be taken in the sense of completion or 
fulfilment. Then Christ is the end of the law, because he fulfils all its 
requisitions, all its types and ceremonies, and satisfies its preceptive and 
penal demands. See Matt. 5: 17. Rom. 8 : 4. 3. We may take the 
word in its more ordinary sense of end or termination, and understand it 
metonymically for he who termiiiates or puts an end to. The meaning 
and connexion would then be, ' The Jews mistake the true method of 
justification, because they seek it from the law, whereas Christ has 
abolished the law, in order that all who believe may be justified.' Com- 
pare Eph. 2 : 15, " Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the 
law of commandments ;" Col. 2 : 14, " Blotting out the handwriting of 
ordinances that was against us," &c. ; Gal. 3 : 10 — 13. Rom. G : 14. 7 : 
4, 6, and the general drift of the former part of the epistle. In sense 
this interpretation amounts to the same with the preceding, though it 
differs from it in form. Christ has abolished the law, not by destroying, 
but by fulfilling it. He has abolished tiie law as a rule of justification, 
or covenant of works, and the whole Mosaic economy having met its 
completion in him, has by him been brought to an end. Either this or 
the first interpretation is probably the correct one. In favour of the for- 
mer is the ordinary import of the word here used by the apostle ; and in 
favour of the latter is the drift of the early part of the epistle, which was 
to show that through Christ we are delivered from the law, and intro- 
duced into a state of grace. It matters little which view is preferred. 
The word law is obviously here used in its prevalent sense throughout 
this epistle, for the whole rule of duty prescribed to man, including for 
the Jews the whole of the Mosaic institutions. The law is intended in 
every sense in which law has been fulfilled, satisfied, or abrogated by 
Jesus Christ. For righteousness to every one that believeth. The ge- 
neral meaning of this clause, in this connexion, is, ' So that every believer 
may be justified.' The Jews, then, did not submit to the method of 
justification proposed by God, or to the righteousness which he had pro- 
vided, for they did not submit to Christ, who is the end of the law. He 



ROMANS 10: 1—10. 249 

is that to which the law leads, or he has abolished the law, so that every 
one that believes may be justified. 

(5) For Moses descriheth the righteousness which is of the law. That 
is, concerning the righteousness which is of the law, Moses thus writes. 
In the last clause of the preceding verse it was clearly intimated that 
faith was the condition of salvation under the gospel. ' To every one, 
without distinction, that believeth is justification secured.' On this the 
apostle connects his description and contrast of the two methods of jus- 
tification, the one by works and the other by faith, with the design to 
show that the former was in its nature impracticable, while the other 
was reasonable and easy, and adapted to all classes of men, Jews and 
Gentiles, and should therefore be offered to all. 

The righteousness which is of the law. The word rendered right- 
eousness may here again be variously explained. 1. The method of jus- 
tification, or of becoming righteous. This suits the context ; ' Moses 
describes the legal method of justification thus.' But this does not agree 
so well with the clause "which is of the law." 2. It may mean that 
excellence which arises from obedience to the law, and which is opposed 
to that which is obtained by faith. The righteousness which is of the 
law is, then, that which consists in legal obedience. 3. It may have its 
appropriate and familiar sense, the state of one who is free as to the de- 
mands of justice or law. In the former sense it means that which actu- 
ally answers those demands, in the latter it expresses the condition of 
one who is just, as in Isa. 5 : 23, " Who take the righteousness of the 
righteous from him." In this view the phrase " righteousness which is 
of the law," or rather the words thus translated, mean the justification, 
or state of justification, which arises from the law. This, then, would 
be opposed to that which arises from faith. It is evident that this word 
was of such 'large import, as used by the apostle, that sometimes one and 
sometimes another of its phases was in his mind, and that these are 
changed repeatedly in the same passage. Thus, in the passage before 
us, it is easy to understand the righteousness which is of the law, and 
righteousness which is by faith, as meaning the justifying excellence or 
merit which is obtained in the one instance from the law, and in the 
other by faith. But this does not so well answer in the immediately suc- 
ceeding verse, " The righteousness which is by faith speaketh in this 
wise;" where the meaning would seem to be, the method of justifica- 
tion by faith says or demands simply cordial belief and open profession. 
The passage quoted by the apostle is Lev. 18 : 5, " The man that doeth 
those things shall live by them." The language of Moses is an accurate 
description of the legal method of justification. The man who did all 
that was required by the Mosaic institutions would, on the ground of his 
obedience, be rewarded with all the blessings which that economy pro- 
mised. And the man who should do all that the law of God, by which 
he is to be ultimately tried, demands, would live on the ground of that 
obedience. It is plain that the word live is used, in its familiar biblical 



250 ROMANS 10: 1—10. 

sense, to denote a happy existence. 'He shall be happy, and happy in 
God. He shall have that life which consists in intercourse with him 
who is our life.' 

(6, 7) But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise. 
Say not, &c. On the import of the phrase *' the righteousness which is 
of faith," see the preceding verse. It is clearly implied in that verse 
that the attainment of justification, by a method which prescribed per- 
fect obedience, is for sinful men impossible. It is the object of this and 
the succeeding verses to declare that the gospel requires no such impos- 
sibilities ; it neither requires us to scale the heavens, nor to fathom the 
great abyss ; it demands only cordial faith and open profession. In ex- 
pressing these ideas the apostle skilfully avails himself of the language 
of Moses, Deut. 30: 10 — 14. It is clear that the expressions used by 
the ancient lawgiver were a familiar mode of saying that a thing could 
not be done. The passage referred to is the following, " For this com- 
mand which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither 
is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, who shall go 
up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 
Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldst say, M'ho shall go over 
the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do if? But 
the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that 
thou mayest do it." The obvious import of this passage is, that the 
knowledge of the will of God had been made perfectly accessible, no 
one was required to do what was impossible ; neither to ascend to hea- 
ven, nor to pass the boundless sea, in order to attain it; it was neither 
hidden, nor afar off, but obvious and at hand. Without directly citing 
this passage, Paul uses nearly the same language to express the same 
idea. The expressions here used seem to have become proverbial among 
the Jews. To be " high," or " afar off," was to be unattainable : Ps. 
139 : 6. Prov. 24 : 7, " To ascend to heaven," or " to go down to hell," 
was to do what was impossible, Amos 9 : 2. Ps. 139 : 8, 9. As the sea 
was to the ancients impassable, it is easy to understand how the ques- 
tion, ' Who can pass over the sea V was tantamount to, ' Who can 
ascend up into heaven ]' Among the later Jews the same mode of 
expressions not unfrequently occur. 

Paul connects each of the questions, virtually borrowed from the Old 
Testament, with a comment designed to apply them more directly to the 
point which he had in view. Say not, Who shall ascend into heaven P thai 
is, to bring Christ down, &c. The words that is may be taken as equi- 
valent to namely or to wit, and the apostle's comment be connected, as an 
explanatory substitute, with the questions, ' Say not. Who shall ascend 
into heaven? to wit, to bring Christ down; or. Who shall descend into 
the deep 1 to bring him up again from the dead.' The sense would then 
be, ' The plan of salvation by faith does not require us to do what cannot 
be done, and which is now unnecessary ; it does not require us to provide 
a Saviour, to bring him from heaven, or to raise him from the dead ; a 



ROMANS 10: 1—10. 251 

Saviour has been provided, and we are now only required to believe,' &c 
The whole passage is evidently rhetorical and ornate. The simple and 
obvious design is, as stated above, to declare that the gospel method of 
salvation demanded nothing but faith and confession. 

(8) But what saith it ? The, word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth 
and in thy heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach. As the 
expressions to be hidden, to be far off, imply that the thing to which 
they refer is inaccessible oi difficult, so to be near, to be in the mouth 
and in the heart, mean to be accessible, easy, and familiar. They are 
frequently thus used ; see Josh. 1:8, " This law shall not depart out of 
thy mouth," i. e. it shall be constantly familiar to thee; Ex. 13: 9, 
*' That the law may be in thy mouth ;" Ps. 37 : 31. 40 : 8. The mean- 
ing of this passage then is, ' The gospel, instead of directing us to ascend 
into heaven or to go down to the abyss, tells us the thing required is 
simple and easy. Believe with thy heart, and thou shalt be saved.' The 
word is nigh thee, i. e. the doctrine or truth contemplated, and by impli- 
cation, what that doctrine demands. Paul, therefore, represents the gos- 
pel as speaking of itself. The method of justification by faith says, 
' The word is near thee, in thy mouth, i. e. the word or doctrine of faith 
is thus easy and familiar.' This is Paul's own explanation. The ex- 
pression word of faith may mean the word or doctrine concerning faith, 
or the word to which faith is due, which should be believed. In either 
ease it is the gospel or doctrine of justification which is here intended. 

(9) That if thou shalt confess luith thy mouth the Lord Jesus, &c. 
The connexion of this verse with the preceding may be explained by 
making the last clause of v. 8 a parenthesis, and connecting this imme- 
diately with the first clause. ' It says, the word is nigh thee ; it says, 
that if thou shalt confess and believe, thou shalt be saved.' According 
to this view, this verse is still a part of what the gospel is represented as 
saying. Perhaps, however, it is better to consider this verse as Paul's 
own language, and an explanation of the "word of faith" just spoken of. 
* The thing is near and easy, to wit, the word of faith which we preach, 
that if thou shalt confess,' &c. The two requisites for salvation men- 
tioned in this verse are confession and faith. They are mentioned in 
their natural order ; as confession is the fruit and external evidence of 
faith. So in 2 Pet. 1 : 10, calling is placed before election, because the 
former is the evidence of the latter. The thing to be confessed is that 
Jesus Christ is Lord. That is, we must openly recognise his authority 
to the full extent in which he is Lord ; acknowledge that he is exalted 
above all principality and powers, that angels are made subject to him, 
that all power in heaven and earth is committed unto him ; and of course 
that he is our Lord. This confession, therefore, includes in it an ac- 
knowledgment of Christ's universal sovereignty, and a sincere recogni- 
tion of his authority over us. The necessity of a public confession of 
Christ unto salvation is frequently asserted in the Scriptures. Matt. 10 : 
32, " Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I con 



252 ROMANS 10: 1—10. 

fess also before my Father which is in heaven." Luke 12: 8. 1 John 
4: 15, "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the son of God, God 
dwelleth in him and he in God." 

The second requisite is faith. The truth to be believed is, that God 
hath raised Christ from the dead. That is, we must believe that by the 
resurrection of Christ, God has publicly acknowledged him to be all that 
he claimed to be, and has publicly accepted of all that he came to per- 
form. See Rom. 4: 25. 1 : 4. Acts 13 : 34. 1 Pet. 1 : 3—5. 1 Cor. 15 : 
14, &c. Acts 17: 31. In thy heart. Faith is very far from being a 
merely speculative exercise. When moral or religious truth is its object, 
it is always attended by the exercise of the affections. The words in thy 
heart are here opposed to the expression with thy mouth in the previous 
clause. Confession must be open ; faith must be internal and sincere. 

(10) For with the heart man helieveth unto rii^hteousness, and loith 
the mouth confession is made unto salvation. This is the reason why 
faith and confession are alone necessary unto salvation ; because he who 
believes with the heart is justified, and he who openly confesses Christ 
shall be saved. That is, such is the doctrine of Scripture, as the apostle 
proves in the subsequent verse. Here, as in the passage referred to 
above, in which confession is connected with salvation, it is evident that 
it must be not only open but sincere. It is not a mere saying. Lord, 
Lord, but a cordial acknowledgment of him, before men, as our Lord 
and Redeemer. Unto righteousness, or justification, i. e. so that we may 
be justified. And unto salvation is equivalent to saying ' that we may be 
saved.' The preposition rendered «n/o expressing here the effect or result. 
Acts 10 : 4. Heb. 6:8. By faith we secure an interest in the righteous- 
ness of Christ, and by confessing him before men, we secure the perform- 
ance of his promise that he will confess us before the angels of God. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. Zeal, to be either acceptable to God or useful to men, must not only 
be right as to its ultimate, but also as to its 'immediate objects. It must 
not only be about God, but about the things which are well ]»leasing in 
his sight. The Pharisees, and other early Jewish persecutors of Chris- 
tians, really thought they were doing God service when they were so ex- 
ceedingly zealous for the traditions of their fathers. The moral character 
of their zeal and its effects were determined by the immediate objects 
towards which it was directed, v. 2. 

2. The doctrine of justification, or method of securing the pardon of 
sin and acceptance with God, is the cardinal doctrine in the religion of 
sinners. The main point is, whether the ground of pardon and accept- 
ance be in ourselves or in another, whether the righteousness on which 
we depend be of ourselves or of God, v. 3. 

3. Ignorance of the divine character and requirements is at the founda 
tion of all ill-directed efforts for the attainment of salvation, and of all 
false hopes of heaven, v. 3. 



ROMANS 10: 1—10. 253 

4. The first and immediate duty of the sinner is to submit to the right- 
eousness of God ; to renounce all dependence on his own merit, and cor- 
dially to embrace the offers of reconciliation proposed in the gospel, 
V. 3. 

5. Unbelief, or the refusal to submit to God's plan of salvation, is the 
immediate ground of the condemnation or rejection of those who perish 
under the sound of the gospel, v. 3. 

6. Christ is every thing in the religion of the true believer. He ful- 
fils, and by fulfilling abolishes, the law, by whose demands the sinner was 
weighed down in despair ; and his merit secures the justification of every 
one that confides in him, v. 4. 

7. Christ is the end of the law, whether moral or ceremonial. To hiir 
both, as a schoolmaster, lead. In him all their demands are satisfied, 8ii J 
all their types and shadows are answered, v. 4. 

8. The legal method of justification is, for sinners, as impracticable as 
climbing up into heaven or going down into the abyss, vs. 5 — 7. 

9. The demands of the gospel are both simple and intelligible. The 
sincere acceptance of the proffered righteousness of God and the open 
acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as Lord, vs. 6 — 9. 

10. The public profession of religion or confession of Christ is an in- 
dispensable duty. That is, in order to salvation, we must not only 
secretly believe, but also openly acknowledge that Jesus is our prophet, 
priest, and king. Though faith and confession are both necessary, they 
are not necessary on the same grounds, nor to the same degree. The 
former is necessary as a means to an end, as without faith we can have 
no part in the justifying righteousness of Christ ; the latter as a duty, the 
performance of which circumstances may render impracticable. In like 
manner Christ declares baptism, as the appointed means of confession, 
to be necessary, Mark 16 : 16 ; not, however, as a sine qua non, but as a 
command, the obligation of which providential dispensations may remove, . 
as in the case of the thief on the cross, v. 9. 

11. Faith is not the mere assent of the mind to the truth of certain 
propositions. It is a cordial persuasion of the truth, founded on the ex- 
perience of its power or the spiritual preception of its nature, and on the 
divine testimony. Faith is, therefore, a moral exercise. Men believe 
with the heart, in the ordinary scriptural meaning of that word. And no 
faith, which does not proceed from the heart, is connected with justifica- 
tion, V. 10. 

REMARKS. 

1. If we really desire the salvation of men, we shall pray for it, v. 1. 

2. No practical mistake is more common or more dangerous than to 
suppose that all zeal about God and religion is necessarily a godly zeal. 
Some of the very worst forms of human character have been exhibited 
by men zealous for God and his service ; as, for example, the persecutors 
ooth in the Jewish and Christian churches. Zeal should be according to- 

Y 



254 ROMANS 10: 11—21. 

knowledge, i.e. directed towards proper objects. Its true character is 
easily ascertained by noticing its effects, whether it produces self-right- 
eousness or humility, censoriousness or charity ; whether it leads to self- 
denial or to self-gratulation and praise ; and whether it manifests itself 
in prayer and effort, or in loud talking and boasting, v. 2. 

3. We should be very careful what doctrines we hold and teach on the 
subject of justification. He who is wrong here ruins his own soul ; and 
if he teaches any other than the scriptural method of justification, he 
ruins the souls of others, v. 3. 

4. A sinner is never safe, do what else he may, until he has submitted 
to God's method of justification. 

5. As every thing in the Bible leads us to Christ, we should suspect 
every doctrine, system, or theory which has a contrary tendency. That 
view of religion cannot be correct which does not make Christ the most 
prominent object, v. 4. 

6. How obvious and infatuated is the folly of the multitude in every 
age, country, and church, who, in one form or another, are endeavouring 
to work out a righteousness of their own, instead of submitting to the 
righteousness of God. They are endeavouring to climb up to heaven, 
or to descend into the abyss, vs. 5 — 7. 

7. The conduct of unbelievers is perfectly inexcusable, who reject the 
simple, easy, and gracious offers of the gospel, which requires only faith 
and confession, vs. 8, 9. 

8. Those who are ashamed or afraid to acknowledge Christ before 
men, cannot expect to be saved. The want of courage to confess is 
decisive evidence of the want of heart to believe, vs. 9, 10. 

CHAP. 10: 11—21. 

*^For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be 
ashamed. ^^For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek : 
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. ^^por 
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. **How 
then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed 1 and how 
shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard 1 and how shall 
they hear without a preacher] *^And how shall they preach, except 
they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that 
preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things ! 
*^But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith. Lord, who 
hath believed our report? ^^So then faith cometh by hearing, and hear- 
ing by the word of God. ^^But I say, Have they not heard ] Yes, 
verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends 
of the world. ^^But I say. Did not Israel know 1 First Moses saith, 1 
will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish 
nation I will anger you. ^'^But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was 
found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that 



ROMANS 10: 11—21. 255 

asked not after me. ^igut to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched 
forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. 

ANALYSIS. 

The object of the apostle, in the preceding comparison and contrast of 
the two methods of justification, Avas to show that the gospel method 
was from its nature adapted to all men ; and that, if suited to all, it 
should be preached to all. In v. 11 the quotation from the Old Testa- 
ment proves two points. 1. That faith is the condition of acceptance, 
and, 2. That it matters not whether the individual be a Jew or Gentile, 
if lie only believes. For there is really no difference, as to that point, 
between the two classes ; God is equally gracious to both, as is proved 
by the express declarations of Scripture, vs. 12, 13. If then the method 
of salvation be thus adapted to all, and God is equally the God of the 
Gentiles and of the Jews, then, to accomplish his purpose, the gospel 
must be preached to all men, because faith cometh by hearing, vs. 14 — 17. 
Both the fact of the extension of the gospel to the Gentiles, and the dis- 
obedience of the great part of the Jews, were clearly predicted in the 
writings of the Old Testament, vs. 18 — 21. 

COMMENTARY. 

(11) For the Scripture saith, Whosoever helieveth on him shall not 
be ashamed. This passage is cited in support of the doctrine just taught, 
that faith alone was necessary to salvation. There are clearly two points 
established by the quotation ; the first is, the universal applicability of 
this method of salvation ; whosoever, whether Jew or Gentile, believes, 
&c. ; and the second is, that it is faith which is the means of securing 
the divine favour ; whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed. 
The passage, therefore, is peculiarly adapted to the apostle's object; 
which was not merely to exhibit the true nature of the plan of redemp- 
tion, but mainly to show the propriety of its extension to the Gentiles. 
The passage quoted is Isa. 28 : 16, referred to at the close of the pre- 
ceding chapter. 

(12) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, &c. 
This verse is evidently connected logically with the whosoever of v. 12, 
' Whosoever believes shall be saved, for there is no difference between 
the Jew and Gentile.' That is, there is no difference in their relation to 
the law or to God. They are alike sinners, and are to be judged by pre- 
cisely the same principles (see ch. 3 : 22) ; and consequently, if saved 
at all, are to be saved in precisely the same way. For the same Lord 
over all is rich unto all who call upon him. This is the reason why 
there is no difference between the two classes. Their relation to God is 
the same. They are equally his creatures, and his mercy towards them 
is the same. It is doubtful whether this clause is to be understood of 
Christ or of God. If the latter, the general meaning is what has just 
been stated. If the former, then the design is to declare that the same 



256 ROMANS 10: 11—21. 

Saviour is ready and able to save all. In favour of this latter, vi^hich is 
perhaps the most common view of the passage, it may be urged that 
Christ is the person referred to in the preceding verse; and, secondly, 
that he is so commonly called Lord in the New Testament. But, on the 
other hand, the Lord in the next verse refers to God ; and, secondly, we 
have the same sentiment, in the same general connexion, in ch. 3 : 29, 
30, " Is he the God of the Jews only ]" &c. " It is the same God which 
shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through 
faith." The same Lord over all, in this connexion, means ' one and 
the same Lord is over all.' All are equally under his dominion, and 
may, therefore, equally hope in his mercy. The words is rich may be 
either a concise expression for is rich in mercy , or they may mean is 
abundant in resources. He is sufficiently rich to supply the wants of 
all ; whosoever, therefore, believes in him shall be saved. 

Unto all who call upon him, i. e. who invoke him or worship him, agree- 
ably to the frequent use of the phrase in the Old and New Testament, 
Gen. 4 : 26. 12 : 8. Isa. 64 : 7. Acts 2 : 21. 9 : 14, &c. This religious 
invocation of God implied, of course, the exercise of faith in him ; and, 
therefore, it amounts to the same thing, whether it is said, ' Whosoever 
believes,' or ' Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord,' shall be saved. 
This being the case, the passage quoted from Joel, in the next verse, is 
equivalent to that cited from Isaiah in v. 11. The meaning, then, of 
this verse is, * That God has proposed the same terms of salvation to all 
men, Jews and Gentiles, because he is equally the God of both, and his 
mercy is free and sufficient for all.' 

(13) For ivhosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall he 
saved. As this verse is not introduced by the usual form of quotation 
from the Old Testament, as it is written, or as the scripture, or the pro- 
phet sailh ; it is not absolutely necessary to consider it as a direct cita- 
tion, intended as an argument from Scripture (compare v. 11). Yet, as 
the passage is in itself so pertinent, it is probable that the apostle in- 
tended to confirm his declaration that the mercy of God should be ex- 
tended to every one who called upon him, by showing that the ancient 
prophets had held the same language. The prophet Joel, after predict- 
ing the dreadful calamities which were about to come upon the people, 
foretold, in the usual manner of the ancient messengers of God, that sub- 
sequent to those judgments should come a time of great and general 
blessedness. This happy period was ever characterized as one in which 
true religion should prevail, and the stream of divine truth and love, no 
longer confined to the narrow channel of the Jewish people, should over- 
flow all nations. Thus Joel says, " It shall come to pass afterward, 
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh," &c., " and whosoever 
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered," Joel 2 : 28, 32. 
Whosoever, therefore, betakes himself to God as his refuge, and calls 
upon him in the exercise of faith as his God, shall be saved, whether 
Gentile or Jew (see 1 Cor. 1 : 2). This is Paul's doctrine, and the doc- 



ROMANS 10: 11—21. 257 

trine, with one accord, of all the holy men who spake of old, as the Spi- 
rit gave them utterance. This being the case, how utterly preposterous 
and wicked the attempt to confine the offers of salvation to the Jewish 
people, or to question the necessity of the extension of the gospel through 
the whole world. Thus naturally and beautifully does the apostle pass 
from the nature of the plan of mercy, and its suitableness to all men, to 
the subject principally in view, the calling of the Gentiles, or the duty 
of preaching the gospel to all people. 

(14, 15) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not be- 
lieved P and hoiv shall they believe in him of whom they have not 
heard? &c. &c. Paul considered it as involved in what he had already 
said, and especially in the predictions of the ancient prophets, that it was 
the will of God that all men should call upon him. This being the case, 
he argues to prove that it was his will that the gospel should be preached 
to all. As invocation implies faith, as faith implies knowledge, know- 
ledge instruction, and instruction an instructor, so it is plain that if God 
would have all men to call upon him, he designed preachers to be sent 
to all, whose proclamation of mercy being heard, might be believed, and 
being believed might lead men to call on him and be saved. This is 
agreeable to the prediction of Isaiah, who foretold that the advent of the 
preachers of the gospel should be hailed with great and universal joy. 
According to this, which is the common and most natural view of the 
passage, it is an argument founded on the principle that, if God wills the 
end, he wills also the means ; if he would have the Gentiles saved, ac- 
cording to the predictions of his prophets, he would have the gospel 
preached to them. 

(15) As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach 
the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. The word 
here rendered preach the gospel, is the same as that immediately after- 
wards translated bring glad tidings. The word gospel, therefore, must 
be taken in its original meaning, good news, the good news of peace. 
The passage in Isa. 52 : 7, which the apostle faithfully, as to the mean- 
ing, follows, has reference to the Messiah's kingdom. It is one of those 
numerous prophetic declarations which announce in general terms the 
coming deliverance of the church, a deliverance which embraced, as the 
first stage of its accomplishment, the restoration from the Babylonish 
captivity. This, however, so far from being the blessing principally 
intended, derived all its value from being introductory to that more glo- 
rious deliverance to be effected by the Redeemer. How beautiful the 
feet of course means, how delightful the approach. The bearing of this 
passage on the object of the apostle is sufficiently obvious. He had 
proved that the gospel should be preached to all men, and refers to the 
declaration of the ancient prophet, which spoke of the joy with which 
the advent of the messengers of mercy should be hailed. 

(16) But they have not all obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah saith. Lord, 
tvho hath believed our report ? This is a difficult verse, as it is not easy 

Y 2 



258 ROMANS 10: 11—21. 

to see its connexion with the apostle's object. It may be considered as 
virtually a parenthesis. ' The gospel must be and has been widely pro- 
claimed, though indeed all have not obeyed it, as had been predicted by 
Isaiah ; when he exclaimed, Lord, who hath believed our report]' The 
word rendered report is that which in the next verse is rendered hearing. 
It properly means the faculty of hearing, then something heard, and 
thus is put for discourse, doctrine, or instruction, 

(17) So then faith cometh hy hearing, and hearing by the word of 
God. Though this verse receives its form from the preceding, it is logi- 
cally connected with vs. 14, 15. The conclusion from what had there 
been said is, 'Faith is founded on instruction, and this instruction sup- 
poses a divine communication.' If men therefore are to believe, they 
must hear the message of God ; and that such a message is delivered of 
course supposes that God has spoken, and has spoken what is to be 
delivered, as his word, to all those who are expected to believe. It 
seems to be the apostle's object to show that such a report as could be 
the ground of faith could only proceed on the basis of a divine commu- 
nication, and therefore as such a report was actually to be made to the 
Gentiles, it implied that the divine message, the word of God, or the 
gospel, was designed for them as well as for the Jews. 

(18) But I say. Have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went 
into all the earth, &c. The concise and abrupt manner of argument and 
expression in this and the verses which precede and follow, renders the 
apostle's meaning somewhat doubtful. 

Paul's object in the whole context is to vindicate the propriety of ex- 
tending the gospel call to all nations. This he had beautifully done in 
vs. 14, 15, by showing that preaching was a necessary means of accom- 
plishing the clearly revealed will of God, that men of all nations should 
participate in his grace. ' True, indeed, as had been foretold, the merci- 
ful offers of the gospel were not universally accepted, v. 16, but still 
faith cometh by hearing, and therefore the gospel should be widely 
preached, v. 17. Well, has not this been done 1 has not the angel of 
mercy broke loose from his long confinement within the pale of the Jew- 
ish church, and made to all nations the proclamation of pardon "? v. 18.' 
This verse, therefore, is to be considered as a strong declaration that 
what Paul had proved ought to be done, had in fact been accomplished. 
The middle wall of partition had been broken down, the gospel of salva- 
tion, the religion of God, was free from its trammels, the offers of mercy 
were as wide and general as the proclamation of the heavens. This idea 
the apostle beautifully and appositely expresses in the sublime language 
of Ps. 19, " The heavens declare the glory of God, day unto day uttereth 
speech, there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard, 
their line is gone through all the earth, and their words to the end of the 
world." The last verse contains the words used by the apostle. His 
object in using the words of the psalmist was, no doubt, to convey more 
clearly and affectingly to the minds of his hearers the idea that the pro- 



ROMANS 10: 11—21. 259 

clamation of the gospel was now as free from all national or ecclesiasti- 
cal restrictions, as the instructions shed down upon all people by the 
heavens under which they dwell. Paul of course is not to be understood 
as quoting the psalmist as though the ancient prophet was speaking 5f 
the preaching of the gospel. He simply uses scriptural language to 
express his own ideas, as is done involuntarily almost by every preacher 
in every sermon. 

It will be perceived that the apostle says, " Their sound has gone," 
&c. ; whereas in the 19th psalm it is, " Their line is gone." Paul fol- 
lows the Septuagint, which, instead of giving the literal sense of the 
Hebrew word, gives correctly its figurative meaning. The word signi- 
fies a line, then a musical chord, and then, metonymically, sound, 

(19) But I say. Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I wih 
provoke you to jealousy, &c. Another passage difficult from its concise- 
ness. The difficulty is to ascertain what the question refers to. Did not 
Israel know what? The gospeH or the calling of the Gentiles and 
their own rejection ? The latter seems, for two reasons, the decidedly 
preferable interpretation. 1. The question is most naturally understood 
as referring to the main subject under discussion, which is, as frequently 
remarked, the calling of the Gentiles and rejection of the Jews. 2. The 
question is explained by the quotations which follow. ' Does not Israel 
know what Moses and Isaiah so plainly teach V viz. that a people who 
were no people should be preferred to Israel ; while the latter were to be 
regarded as disobedient and gainsaying. 

First Moses says, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no 
people, &c. The word Jirst seems evidently to be used in reference to 
Isaiah, who is quoted afterward. 'First Moses, and then Isaiah, says,' 
&c. The passage quoted from Moses is Deut. 32: 21. In that chapter 
the sacred writer recounts the mercies of God, and the ingratitude and 
rebellion of the people. In v. 21 he warns them that, as they had pro- 
voked him to jealousy by that which is not God, he would provoke them 
to jealousy by them that are no people. That is, as they forsook him 
and made choice of another God, so he would reject them and make 
choice of another people. The passage, therefore, plainly enough inti- 
mates that the Jews were in no such sense the people of God as to inter- 
fere with their being cast off" and others called. 

(20, 21) But Esaias is very hold, and saith, &c. That is, according 
to a very common Hebrew construction, in which one verb qualifies an- 
other adverbially, saith very plainly, or openly. Plain as the passage 
in Deuteronomy is, it is not so clear and pointed as that now referred to, 
Isa. 65: 1, 2. 

Paul follows the Septuagint version of the passage, merely transpos- 
ing the clauses. The sense is accurately expressed. ' I am sought of 
them that asked not for me, I am found of them that sought me not,' is 
the literal version of the Hebrew, as given in our translation. The apos- 
tle quotes and applies the passage in the sense in which it is to be inter- 



260 ROMANS 10; 11—21. 

preted ia the ancient prophet. In the first verse of that chapter Isaiah 
says, that God will manifest himself to those " who were not called by 
his name ;" and in the second he gives the immediate reason of this 
turning unto the Gentiles, " I have stretched out my hand all the day to 
a rebellious people." This quotation, therefore, confirms both the great 
doctrines taught in this chapter ; the Jews were no longer the exclusive 
or peculiar people of God, and the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom 
were thrown wide open to all mankind. With regard to Israel the lan- 
guage of God is peculiarly strong and tender. All day long I have 
stretched forth my hands. The stretching forth the hands is the ges- 
ture of invitation, and even supplication. God has extended wide his 
arms, and urged men frequently and long to return to his love ; and it is 
only those who refuse that he finally rejects. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. Christianity is, from its nature, adapted to be a universal religion 
There is nothing, as was the case with Judaism, which binds it to a par- 
ticular location or confines it to a particular people. All its duties may 
be performed, and all its blessings enjoyed, in every part of the world, 
and by every nation under heaven, vs. 11 — 13. 

2. The relation of men to God, and his to them, is not determined by 
any national or ecclesiastical connexion. He deals with all, on the same 
general principles, and is ready to save all who call upon him, v. 12. 

3. Whosoever will, may take of the water of life. The essential 
conditions of salvation have in every age been the same. Even under 
the Old Testament dispensation, God accepted all who sincerely invoked 
his name, v. 13. 

4. The preaching of the gospel is the great means of salvation, and it 
is the will of God that it should be extended to all people, vs. 14, 15. 

5. As invocation implies faith, and faith requires knowledge, and 
knowledge instruction, and instruction teachers, and teachers a mission, 
it is evident not only that God wills that teachers should be sent to all 
those whom he is willing to save, when they call upon him, but that all 
parts of this divinely connected chain of causes and eflfects are necessary 
to the end proposed, viz. the salvation of men. It is, therefore, as 
incumbent on those who have the power, to send the gospel abroad, as it 
is on those to whom it is sent, to receive it, vs. 14, 15. 

6. As the rudiments of the tree are in the seed, so all the elements of 
the New Testament doctrines are in the Old. The Christian dispensa- 
tion is the explanation, fulfilment, and development of the Jewish, vs. 
11, 13, 15. 

REMARKS. 

1. Christians should breathe the spirit of a universal religion. A reli- 
gion which regards all men as brethren ; which looks on God, not as the 
God of this nation, or of that church, but as the God and father of all ; 



ROMANS 10: 11—21. 261 

which proposes to all the same conditions of acceptance, and which 
opens equally to all the same boundless and unsearchable blessings, 
vs. 11—13. 

2. It must be very offensive to God, who looks on all men with equal 
favour (except as moral conduct makes a difference), to observe how one 
class of mortals looks down upon another, on account of some merely 
adventitious difference of rank, colour, external circumstances, or social 
or ecclesiastical connexions, v. 12. 

3. How will the remembrance of the simplicity and reasonableness of 
the plan of salvation, and the readiness of God to accept of all who call 
upon him, overwhelm those who perish from beneath the sound of the 
gospel ! V. 13. 

4. It is the first and most pressing duty of the church to cause all men 
to hear the gospel. The solemn question, implied in the language of the 
apostle. How can they believe without a preacher 1 should sound 
day and night in the ears of the churches, vs. 14, 15. 

5. " How can they preach except they be sent ]" The failure of the 
whole must result from the failure of any one of the parts of the system 
of means. How long, alas ! has the failure been in the very first step. 
Preachers have not been sent, and if not sent, how could men hear, 
believe, or call upon Godl vs. 14, 15. 

6. If " faith comes by hearing," how great is the value of a stated 
ministry ! How obvious the duty to establish, sustain, and attend upon 
it! V. 17. 

7. The gospel's want of success, or the fact that few believe our 
leport, is only a reason for its wider extension. The more who hear, 
the more will be saved, although it be but a small proportion of the 
whole, V. 16. 

8. How delightful will be the time when literally the sound of the gos- 
pel shall be as extensively diffused as the declaration which the heavens, 
in their circuit, make of the glory of God ! v. 18. 

9. The blessings of a covenant relation to God is the unalienable right 
of no people and of no church, but can be preserved only by fidelity on 
the part of men to the covenant itself, v. 19. 

10. God is often found by those who apparently are the farthest from 
him, while he remains undiscovered by those who think themselves 
always in his presence, v. 20. 

11. God's dealings, even with reprobate sinners, are full of tenderness 
and compassion. All the day long he extends the arms of his mercy 
even to the disobedient and the gainsaying. This will be felt and 
acknowledged at last by all who perish, to the glory of God's forbear- 
ance, and to their own confusion and self-condemnation, v. 21. 

12. Communities and individuals should beware how they slight the 
mercies of God, and especially how they turn a deaf ear to the invitations 
of the gospel. For when the blessings of a church relation have once 



262 ROMANS 11 : 1—10. 

been withdrawn from a people, they are long in being restored. Witness 
the Jewish and the fallen Christian churches. And when God ceases 
to urge on the disobedient sinner the offers of mercy, his destiny is 
sealed, v. 12. 



CHAPTER X. 



CONTENTS. 



This chapter consists of two parts, vs. 1 — 10, and 11 — 3G. In the 
former, the apostle teaches that the rejection of the Jews was not total. 
There was a remnant, and perhaps a much larger remnant than many 
might suppose, excepted, although the mass of the nation, agreeably to 
the predictions of the prophets, was cast off, vs. 1 — 10. In the latter, 
he shows that this rejection is not final. In the first place, the restora- 
tion of the Jews is a desirable and probable event, vs. 11 — 24. In the 
second, it is one which God has determined to bring to pass, vs. 25 — 32. 
The chapter closes with a sublime declaration of the unsearchable wisdom 
of God, manifested in all his dealings with men, vs. 33 — 36. In the con- 
sideration of the great doctrinal truths taught in this chapter, Paul inter* 
sperses many practical remarks, designed to give these truths their pro- 
per influence both on the Jews and Gentiles, especially the latter. 

CHAP. 11 : 1—10. 

=^1 say then. Hath God cast away his people 1 God forbid. For I also 
am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. '^God 
hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what 
the Scripture saith of Elias 1 how he maketh intercession to God against 
Israel, saying, ^Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down 
thine altars ; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. *But what 
saith the answer of God unto him 1 I have reserved to myself seven 
thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 
^Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to 
the election of grace. ^And if by grace, then is it no more of works : 
otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no 
more grace : otherwise work is no more work. 7\Vhat then 1 Israel hath 
not obtained that which he seeketh for ; but the election hath obtained it, 
and the rest were blinded. ^(According as it is written, God hath given 
them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that 
they should not hear ;) unto this day. ^And David saith. Let their table 
be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompense 
unto them : ^°let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow 
down their back alway. 



ROMANS 11: 1—10. 263 



ANALYSIS. 

The rejection of the Jews is not total, as is sufficiently manifest from 
the example of the apostle himself, to say nothing of others, v. 1. God 
had reserved a remnant faithful to himself, as was the case in the times 
of E lias, vs. 2 — i. That this remnant is saved, is a matter entirely of 
grace, vs. 5, 6. The real truth of the case is, that Israel as a nation is 
excluded from the kingdom of Christ, hut the chosen ones are admitted 
to its blessings, v. 7. This rejection of the greater part of the Jews, their 
own scriptures had predicted, vs. 8 — 10. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) I say then, hath God cast away his people ? God forbid^ &c. 
When we consider how many promises are made to the Jewish nation as 
God's peculiar people ; and how often it is said, as in Ps. 94 : 14, " The 
Lord will not cast off his people," it is not wonderful, that the doctrine 
of the rejection of the Jews, as taught in the preceding chapters, appeared 
inconsistent with these repeated declarations of the word of God. Paul 
removes this difficulty by showing in what sense the Jews were rejected, 
and in what way the ancient promises are to be understood. All the Jews 
were not cast off, and the promises did not contemplate all the Jewish 
people, as shown above in the ninth chapter, but only the true Israel. 
There is, therefore, no inconsistency between the doctrine of the apos- 
tle, and the declarations of the Old Testament. 

There must be an emphasis laid upon the question in this verse, * Hath 
God entirely cast off his people \ or hath God cast off his whole people ? 
Has he rejected all"? By no means. Such is not my doctrine.' The 
question may also be understood as meaning, ' Has God cast off his true 
spiritual people 1' But this is not so consistent with the spirit of the pas- 
sage, nor with the proof, afforded in his own case by the apostle, that the 
objection suggested by the interrogation was unfounded. The fact that 
he, a Jew, was not rejected, was evidence rather that the whole nation 
•was not cast off, than that the true Israel were excepted. The distinction 
between the external and the spiritual Israel seems to be first referred to 
in the next verse. For I also am an Israelite^ of the seed of Abraham, 
oi the tribe of Benjamin; (see Phil. 3: 5.) The apostle is thus parti- 
cular in his statement, to make it appear that he was not a mere prose- 
lyte, but a Jew by birth, and consequently, as he did not teach his own 
rejection from the kingdom of God, he could not be understood as teach- 
ing that God had cast off all his ancient people. 

(2) God hath not cast aivay his people which he foreknew. This 
verse admits of two interpretations. The words his people may be un- 
derstood, as in the preceding verse, as meaning the Jewish nation, and 
the clause which he foreknew as by implication assigning the reason for 
the declaration that God had not cast them off. The clause, according 
to this view, is little more than a repetition of the sentiment of the pre- 



264 ROMANS 11: 1—10. 

ceding verse. ' The entire and final rejection of the Jews is inconsist- 
ent with the fact of their being' foreknown^ or chosen as God's peculiar 
people.' The second interpretation requires more stress to be laid upon 
the words which he foreknew^ as qualifying and distinguishing the pre- 
ceding phrase, his people. ' God has indeed rejected his external people, 
the Jewish nation as such, but he has not cast away his people whom he 
foreknew.' According to this view, his people means his elect, his spi- 
ritual people, or the true Israel. This interpretation seems decidedly 
preferable, 1. Because it is precisely the distinction which Paul had 
made, and made for the same purpose, in ch. 9 : 6 — 8. 2. Because this 
is apparently Paul's own explanation in the sequel. The mass of the 
nation were cast away, but " a remnant, according to the election of 
grace," were reserved, v. 5. 3. Because the illustration borrowed from 
the Old Testament best suits this interpretation. 

Which he foreknew. On the different senses of the word rendered he 
foreknew, see ch. 8 : 29. Compare Rom. 7:15. 2 Tim. 2:19. 1 Cor. 
8 : 3. Gal. 4 : 9. Prov. 12 : 10. Ps. 101 : 4. 1 Thess. 5 : 12. Matt. 7 : 23. 
The examples, however, are numerous and familiar, in which the word 
which signifies literally to know, means to approve, to regard with affec- 
tion, to love. And as to love one more than others involves the idea of 
selectio.i, so the verb signifies also to select, determine upon ; see the com- 
pound word here rendered to foreknow, in Pet. 1 : 20. Compare 1 Pet. 
I : 2, and other passages quoted on Rom. 8 : 29. It depends on the con- 
text which sense of the word is to be adopted. The idea of simple pre- 
science obviously does not suit the passage. Others, therefore, prefer 
rendering the phrase which he before loved ; others, which he had chosen. 
This idea is included in the other, and is the best suited to the context. 
* The people which God foreknew' means, therefore, ' his chosen peo- 
ple ;' "the remnant according to the election of grace," i. e. graciously 
elected; or, as explained in v. 7, " the election," i. e. those who are 
chosen. The illustration which the apostle cites is peculiarly appro- 
priate. Wot ye not ivhat the scripture saith of Elias ? Literally, in 
Elias, i. e. in the section which treats of Elias, or which is designated 
by his name. Another example of the same method of reference to Scrip- 
ture is supposed to occur in Mark 12 : 26, " In the bush God spake unto 
him," i. e. in the section which treats of the burning bush. How he 
Tnaketh intercession to God against Israel. The word rendered ' to make 
intercession' signifies to approach to any one, it may be for or against 
another ; see ch. 8 : 26. 

(3) Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine al- 
tars, and I am left alone, &c. ; see 1 Kings 19 : 10. Paul gives the 
sense and nearly the words of the original. The event referred to was 
the great defection from the true religion, and the murder of the prophets 
of God, during the reign of Ahab. The circumstance to which the apostle 
specially refers is, that the prophet considered the defection entire, and 



ROMANS 11 : 1—10. 265 

himself the only worshipper of the true God left; whereas, in fact, there 
were many who remained faithful. 

(4) But what saith the answer of God unto him P I have reservea 
to myself seven thousand men, &c. ; 1 Kings 19 : 18. Ansiuer of God, 
divine response or oracle ; see the use of the. corresponding verb, Heb. 
12 : 25. 11 : 7. Matt. 2: 12. Luke 2 : 26. Acts 10 : 22. It is probable 
that the number seven thousand is to be taken for an indefinitely large 
number. Those who remained faithful to God are described as those 
who did not bow the knee to Baal. This was a Phcenician or Canaan- 
itish deity, frequently worshipped by the idolatrous Hebrews. The 
word Baal properly means Lord, Ruler, and probably designates the 
same deity which among the Chaldeans was called Bel or Belus. The 
name is almost always masculine. The Septuagint prefix the feminine 
article to it in Hos. 2 : 8. Jer. 2:8. 19:5. Zeph. 1 : 4, but in no one of 
these places is there any thing in the Hebrew to indicate that a female 
deity is intended. As Paul prefixes the feminine article, it may be ex- 
plained either by supposing the word for image to be understood, as our 
translators have done and read, "Who have not bowed the knee to the 
image of Baal;" or by taking the word as of the common gender, and 
used as the name of both a male and female deity. These false gods 
were either the sun and moon, or the planets Jupiter and Venus. 

(5) Even so then, at this present time also, there is a remnant ac 
cording to the election of grace. As in the days of Elias there was a 
number which, although small in comparison with the whole nation, was 
still much greater than appeared to the eye of sense ; so at the present 
time, amidst the general defection of the Jews, and their consequent 
rejection as a people, there is a remnant, graciously chosen of God, who 
are not cast off. The phrase election of grace, agreeably to the familiar 
scriptural idiom, means gracious election. Gracious, not merely in the 
sense of kind, but gratuitous, sovereign, not founded on the merits of the 
persons chosen, but the good pleasure of God. This explanation of the 
term is given by the apostle himself in the next verse. Remnant accord- 
ing to the gracious election is equivalent to remnant gratuitously chosen ; 
see ch. 9:11, and vs. 21, 24 of this chapter. Paul, therefore, designs 
to teach that the rejection of the Jews was not total, because there was a 
number whom God had chosen, who remained faithful, and constituted 
the true Israel, or elected people, to whom the promises were made. 

(6) And if hy grace, then it is no more of vjorhs ; otherwise grace 
is no more grace. This verse is an exegetical comment on the last 
clause of the preceding one. If the election spoken of be of grace, it is 
not founded on works, for the two things are incompatible. It evidently 
was, in the apostle's view, a matter of importance that the entire freeness 
of the election of men to the enjoyment of the blessings of the Messiah's 
kingdom, should be steadily kept in view. He would not otherwise 
have stopped, in the midst of his discourse, to insist so much on this 
idea. 

Z 



206 ROMANS 11 : 1—10. 

The latter part of this verse is simply the converse of the former. But 
if of works, then it is no more grace / otherwise work is no more work. 
If founded on any thing in us, it is not founded on the mere good plea- 
sure of God. If the one be affirmed, the other is denied. This latter 
clause is left out of so many of the ancient MSS. and versions, and 
passed over in silence by so many of the fathers, that the majority of 
editors are disposed to regard it as spurious. Internal evidence, and a 
comparison with similar passages, as Rom. 4 : 4. Eph. 2 : 8, 9, are 
rather in its favour. 

(7) What then P Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for .• 
but the election hath obtained it, &c. This verse is by many pointed 
differently, and read thus, " What then? Hath not Israel obtained that 
which he seeketh fori nat/, but the election have," &c. The sense is 
not materially different. The apostle evidently designs to state the re- 
sult of all he had just been saying. Israel, as a body, has not attained 
the blessing which they sought, but the chosen portion of them have. 
The rejection, therefore, is not total, and the promises of God made of 
old to Israel, which contemplated his spiritual people, have not been 
broken. It is clear, from the whole discourse, that the blessing sought 
by the Jews was justification, acceptance with God, and admission into 
his kingdom ; see ch. 10 : 3. 9 : 30, 31. This it is which they failed to 
attain, and to which the election were admitted. It was not, therefore, 
external advantages merely which the apostle had in view. The election 
means those elected; as the circumcision means those who are circumcised. 

.Rnd the rest were blinded. The verb rendered were blinded properly 
means, in its ground form, to harden, to render insensible, and is so trans- 
lated in our version, Mark G : 52. 8 : 17. John 12 : 40. In 2 Cor. 3 : 14, 
the only other place in which it occurs in the New Testament, it is ren- 
dered as it is here. It is used in reference to the eyes in the Septuagint, 
Job 17 : 7, " My eyes are dim by reason of sorrow." Either rendering, 
therefore, is admissible, though the former is preferable as more in ac- 
cordance with the usual meaning of the word, and with Paul's language 
in the previous chapters. " And the rest were hardened," that is, were 
insensible to the truth and excellence of the gospel, and, therefore, disre- 
garded its offers and its claims. They were abandoned to the perverse- 
ness of their own hearts, and given over to a reprobate mind. 

(8) .Recording as it is turitten, God hath given them the spirit of 
slumber, eyes that they should not see, ears that they should not hear. 
This passage, as is the case with ch. 9 : 33, is composed of several found 
in different places in the Old Testament. In Isaiah 6 : 9, it is said, 
" Hear ye indeed, but understand not; see ye indeed, but perceive not;" 
V. 10, " Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears." Deut. 
29 : 4, " Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes 
to see, and ears to hear, unto this day." Isa. 29: 10, "For the Lord 
hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed youi 
eyes." The spirit, and, to some extent, the language of these passages, 



ROMANS 11: 1—10. 267 

Paul cites in support of his present purpose. Tiiey are in part descrip- 
tive of what had occurred in the times of the prophet, and in part of what 
should occur in aftertimes, and are, therefore, quoted in reference to the 
character and conduct of the Jews in the days of Christ (see Matt. 13 : 
14). The import of such citations frequently is, that what was fulfilled 
in the days of the prophet was more completely accomplished at the time 
referred to by the New Testament writer. So, in this case, it was m.ore 
fully accomplished at this period of the Jewish history than at any other, 
that the people were blinded, hardened, and reprobated. And this the 
ancient prophets had frequently predicted should be the case. These 
quotations also serve to show that this hardening-, and consequent rejec- 
tion of the Jews, was an event which, with regard to multitudes, had 
frequently occurred before, and, therefore, demonstrated that their being 
cast away militated with none of the divine promises. 

God hath given to them. In the Hebrew and Greek of the Old Tes- 
tament, Isa. 29 : 10, it is, "The Lord hath poured upon you." The 
sense remaining the same. Something more in this connexion is proba- 
bly intended by this expression than that God permitted them to become 
hardened and insensible to divine truth. Here, as in ch. 9 : 18, the idea 
probably is, that God judicially abandoned them, withdrawing and 
withholding the influences of his Spirit, and giving them up to a repro- 
bate mind. The words even unto this day may, as by our translators, 
be connected with the last words of the preceding verse, 'The rest were 
blinded even unto this day.' Or they may be considered as a part of the 
quotation, as they occur in the passage in Deut. 29 : 4. 

(9, 10) And David saith. Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, 
&c. &c. This quotation is from Ps. 69 : 22, 23. There is nothing in 
the psalm which forbids its being considered as a prophetic lamentation 
of the Messiah over his afflictions, and a denunciation of God's judgments 
upon his enemies. Verse 9, " The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up," 
and V. 21, "They gave me vinegar to drink," are elsewhere quoted and 
applied to Christ. Viewed in this light, the psalm is directly applica- 
ble to the apostle's object, as it contains a prediction of the judgments 
which should befall the enemies of Christ. Let their table be is only an- 
other and a more forcible way of saying, their table shall be, Isa. 47 : 5, 
" Sit thou silent and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chalde- 
ans," for ' Thou shalt sit,' &c. And so in a multitude of cases in the 
prophetic writings. In the psalm indeed, the future form in the Hebrew 
is used, though it is correctly rendered by the Septuagint, and in our 
version as the imperative, in these passages. The judgments here 
denounced are expressed in figurative language. The sense is, their 
blessings shall become a curse, blindness and weakness, hardness of 
heart and misery shall come upon them. This last idea is forcibly ex- 
pressed by a reference to the dimness of vision, and decrepitude of old 
age ; as the vigour and activity of youth are the common figure for 
expressing the results of God's favour 



268 ROMANS 11: 1—10. 

Even if the psalm here quoted be considered as referring to the sor 
rows and the enemies of the sacred writer himself, and not to those of 
Christ, it would still be pertinent to the apostle's object. The enemies 
of the psalmist were the enemies of God ; the evils imprecated upon 
them were imprecated on them as such, and not as enemies of the writer. 
These denunciations are not the expression of the desire of private 
revenge, but of the just and certain judgments of God. And as the 
psalmist declared how the enemies of God should be treated, how dim 
their eyes should become, and how their strength should be broken, so, 
Paul says, it actually occurs. David said, let them be so treated, and 
we find them, says the apostle, suffering these very judgments. Paul, 
therefore, in teaching that the great body of the Jews, the rejecters and 
crucifiers of the Son of God, were blinded and cast away, taught nothing 
more than had already been experienced in various portions of their his- 
tory, and predicted in their prophets. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. The people 
whom God had chosen for himself, he preserved amidst the general 
defection of their countrymen, vs. 1, 2. 

2. The apparent apostasy of a church or community from God is not 
a certain test of the character of all the individuals of which it may be 
composed. In the midst of idolatrous Israel, there were many who had 
not bowed the knee unto Baal. Denunciations, therefore, should not be 
made too general, vs. 2 — 4. 

3. The fidelity of men in times of general declension is not to be as- 
cribed to themselves, but to the grace of God. Every remnant of faith- 
ful men is a remnant according to the election of grace. That is, they 
are faithful, because graciously elected, v. 5. 

4. Election is not founded on works, nor on any thing in its objects, 
but on the sovereign pleasure of God ; and it is not to church privileges 
merely, but to all the blessings of Christ's kingdom, vs. 6, 7. 

5. It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth. Israel, M'ith 
all their zeal for the attainment of salvation, were not successful, while 
those whom God had chosen attained the blessing, v. 7. 

6. Those who forsake God, are forsaken by God. In leaving him, they 
leave the source of light, feeling, and happiness, v. 7. 

7. When men are forsaken of God all their powers are useless, and all 
their blessings become curses. Having eyes, they see not, and their 
table is a snare, vs. 8 — 10. 

REMARKS. 

1. As in the times of the greatest defection, there are some who remain 
faithful, and as in the midst of apparently apostate communities, there 
are some who retain their integrity, we should never despair of the 
church, nor be loo ready to make intercession agains Israel. The foun- 



ROMANS 11; 11—36. 269 

dation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them 
that are his, vs. 1 — 4. 

2. Those only are safe whom the Lord keeps. Those who do not bow 
the knee to Baal, are a remnant according to the election of grace, and 
not according to the firmness of their own purposes, vs. 5, 6. 

3. All seeking after salvation is worse than useless, unless properly 
directed. Those who are endeavouring to work out a righteousness of 
their own, or to secure the favour of God in any way by their own doings, 
are beating the air. Success is to be obtained only by submission to the 
righteousness of God, v. 7. 

4. As the fact that any attain the blessing of God is to be attributed to 
their election, there is no room for self-complacency or pride ; and where 
these feelings exist, and are cherished in reference to this subject, they 
are evidence that we are not of the number of God's chosen, v. 7. 

5. Men should feel and acknowledge that they are in the hands of God ; 
that, as sinners, they have forfeited all claim to his favour, and have lost 
the power to obtain it. To act perseveringly as though either of these 
^ruths were not so, is to set ourselves in opposition to God and his plan 
of mercy, and is the very course to provoke him to send on us the spirit 
of slumber. This is precisely what the Jews did, vs. 7, 8. 

6. Men are commonly ruined by the things in which they put their trust 
or take most delight. The whole Mosaic system, with its rites and 
ceremonies, was the ground of confidence and boasting to the Jews, and 
it was the cause of their destruction. So, in our day, those who take 
refuge in some ecclesiastical organization instead of Christ, will find 
what they expected would prove their salvation, to be their ruin. So, 
too, all misimproved or perverted blessings are made the severest curses, 
vs. 9, 10. 

CHAP. 11: 11—36. • 

*^I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall 1 God forbid : 
but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to 
provoke them to jealousy. ^^Now if the fall of them be the riches of 
the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles ; how 
much more their fulness. ^^For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I 
am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office. **If by any 
means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might 
save some of them. ^^For if the casting away of them be the reconci- 
ling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the 
dead. *^For if the first-fruit be holy, the lump is also holT/ .• and if the 
root be holy, so are the branches. ^5' And if some of the branches be 
broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, 
and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree ; 
*^boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the 
root, but the root thee. ^^Thou wilt say then, the branches were broken 
off, that I might be graffed in. ^oYYgji . because of unbelief they were 



270 ROMANS 11: 11—36. 

broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear', 
^^for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare 
not thee. ^^Behold therefore th'e goodness and severity of God : on 
them which fell, severity ; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue 
in his goodness : otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. ^^And they also, 
if they abide not in unbelief, shall be graffed in : for God is able to 
graff them in again. ^"^Yox if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which 
is wild by nature, and were graffed contrary to nature into a good olive 
tree : how much more shall these, which be the natural branches^ be 
graffed into their own olive tree. ^^For I would not, brethren, that ye 
should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own 
conceits ; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness 
of the Gentiles be come in. "^And so all Israel shall be saved : as it is 
written. There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away 
ungodliness from Jacob. ^"P'or this is my covenant unto them, when I 
shall take away their sins. "^As concerning the gospel, they are enemies 
for your sakes : but as touching the election, they are beloved for the 
fathers' sakes. ^^For the gifts and calling of God are without repent- 
ance, sopoj ag yg jf^ times past have not believed God, yet have now 
obtained mercy through their unbelief: ^^even so have these also now 
not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
^^For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy 
upon all. 3^0 the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge 
of God ! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding 
out ! 34For who hath known the mind of the Lord 1 or who hath been 
his counsellor 1 ^'"Ox who hath first given to him, and it shall be recom- 
pensed unto him again 1 ^'^For of him, and through him, and to him, are 
all things : to whom he glory for ever. Amen. 

ANALYSIS. 

/is the rejection of the Jews was not total, so neither is it final. They 
have not so fallen as to be hopelessly prostrated. First, God did not 
design to cast away his people entirely, but, by their rejection, in the first 
place, to facilitate the progress of the gospel among the Gentiles, and 
ultimately to make the conversion of the Gentiles the means of convert- 
ing the Jews, v. 11. The latter event is in itself desirable and probable. 
1. Because if the rejection of the Jews has been a source of blessing, 
much more will their restoration be the means of good, vs. 12, 15. (The 
verses 13, 14, are a passing remark on the motive which influenced the 
apostle in preaching to the Gentiles.) 2. Because it was included and 
contemplated in the original election of the Jewish nation. If the root 
be holy, so are the branches, v. 16. 

The breaking off and rejection of some of the original branches, and 
the introduction of others of a different origin, is not inconsistent with 
this doctrine ; and should lead the Gentiles to exercise humility and fear, 
and not boasting or exultation, vs. 17 — 22. As the rejection of the Jews 



ROMANS 11: 11—36. 271 

was a punishment of their unbelief, and not the expression of God's ulti- 
mate purpose respecting them, it is, as intimated in v. 16, more probable 
that God should restore the Jews, than that he should have called the 
Gentiles, vs. 23, 24. 

This event, thus desirable and probable, God has determined to ac- 
complish, vs. 25, 26. The restoration of the Jews to the privileges of 
God's people is included in the ancient predictions and promises made 
respecting them, vs. 26, 27. Though now, therefore, they are treated as 
enemies, they shall hereafter be treated as friends, v. 28. For the pur- 
poses of God do not alter; as his covenant contemplated the restoration 
of his ancient people, that event cannot fail to come to pass, v. 29. The 
plan of God, therefore, contemplated the calling of the Gentiles, the tem- 
porary rejection and final restoration of the Jews, vs. 30 — 32. 

How adorable the wisdom of God manifested in the plan and conduct 
of the work of redemption! Of him, through him, and to him, are all 
things ; to whom be glory for ever. Amen, vs. 33 — 36. 

COMMENTARY. 

(11) I sai/, then, have they stumbled that they should fall? God for 
hid, &c. This verse begins with the same formula as the first verse of 
the chapter, and for the same reason. As there the apostle wished to 
have it understood that the rejection of God's ancient people was not 
entire, so here he teaches that this rejection is not final. That this is the 
meaning of the verse seems evident, 1. From the comparative force of 
the words stumble and fall. As the latter is a much stronger term than 
the former, it seems plain that Paul designed it should here be taken 
emphatically, as expressing irrevocable ruin in opposition to that which 
is temporary. The Jews have stumbled, but they are not prostrated. 
2. From the context ; all that follows being designed to prove that the 
fall of the Jews was not final. This is indeed intimated in this very 
verse, in which it is implied that the conversion of the Gentiles would 
lead to the ultimate conversion of the Jews. The word rendered should 
fall is used here, as elsewhere, to mean should perish, become miserable, 
Heb. 4: 11. 

But through their fall salvation has come unto the Gentiles. The 
stumbling of the Jews was not attended with the result of their utter and 
final ruin, but was the occasion of facilitating the progress of the gospel 
among the Gentiles. It was, therefore, not designed to lead to the for- 
mer, but to the latter result. From this very design it is probable that 
they shall be finally restored, because the natural effect of the conversion 
of the Gentiles is to provoke the emulation of the Jews. That the rejec- 
tion of the gospel on the part of the Jews was the means of its wider and 
more rapid spread among the Gentiles, seems to be clearly intimated in 
several passages of the New Testament. " It was necessary," Paul 
says to the Jews, " that the word of God should first have been spoken 
to you ; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy 



272 ROMANS 11: 11— 3G. 

of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles," Acts 13 : 46. And in Acts 
28 : 28, after saying that the prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled in their 
unbelief, he adds, " Be it known, therefore, unto you that the salvation 
of God is sent unto them." 

For to provoke them to jealousy. As the result and design of the 
rejection of the Jews was the salvation of the Gentiles, so the conversion 
of the latter was designed to bring about the restoration of the former. 
The Gentiles are saved in order to provoke the Jews to jealousy. That 
is, this is one of the many benevolent purposes which God designed to 
accomplish by that event. This last clause serves to explain the mean- 
ing of the apostle in the former part of the verse. He shows that the 
rejection of the Jews was not intended to result in their being finally 
cast away, but to secure the more rapid progress of the gospel among the 
heathen, in order that their conversion might react upon the Jews, and be 
the means of bringing all, at last, within the fold of the Redeemer. 

(12) Now if the fall of them he the riches of the worlds and the di- 
minishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their ful- 
ness ? Although there is considerable difficulty in fixing the precise 
sense of the several clauses of this verse, its general meaning seems 
sufficiently obvious. ' If the rejection of the Jews has been the occa- 
sion of so much good to the world, how much more may be expected 
from their restoration.' In this view it bears directly upon the apostle's 
object, which, in the first place, is to show that the restoration of the 
Jews is a probable and desirable event. There is in the verse a twofold 
annunciation of the same idea. In the first, the sentence is incomplete. 
* If the fall of them be the riches of the world, how much more their re- 
covery ? if their diminishing, how much more their fulness V The prin- 
cipal difficulty in this passage results from the ambiguity of the wordb 
rendered diminishing and fulness. The former properly means, inferior- 
ity, a state or condition worse than that of others, or luorse than a for- 
mer one. This sense suits the present passage. ' If their misfortune, 
or loss of former advantages, was a source of good ; how much more 
their fulness V 

The word rendered fulness has various senses in the New Testament. 
It properly means that with which any thing is filled, as in the frequent 
phrase the fulness of the earth, or of the sea, &c. So fulness of the God- 
head, all that is in God, the plenitude of Deity. It then naturally is 
used for the fulness or abundance of blessings that is in any one. John 
1 : 16, " Of his fulness have all we received ;" Eph. 3 : 19, " That ye 
might be filled with all the fulness of God." Thirdly, it means abun- 
dance, multitude, especially when followed by a genitive expressing the 
particulars of which the multitude consists, as fulness of the Gentiles^ 
i. e. the multitude of the Gentiles, v. 25 of this chapter. It also means 
the complement or supplement of any thing, the remaining part ^ see 
Matt. 9:16. So in Eph. 1 : 23, the church may be called the fulness of 

irist because he is the head, the church is the residue, or complement, 



ROMANS 11: 11—36. 273 

by which the mystical body is completed. Of these several meanings, 
that which best suits this passage is, fulness of blessings, or full bless- 
edness; i. e. their restoration to the full enjoyment of all their former 
privileges. ' If the loss or ruin of the Jews has been the occasion of 
good to the Gentiles, how much more shall their full blessedness, or 
complete restoration, be.' 

(13) For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of 
the Gentiles. This and the following verse, without being strictly a 
parenthesis, contain a transient remark relating to the apostle's own feel- 
ings and mode of acting in reference to the subject in hand. This pas- 
sage is connected with the last clause of the preceding verse, in which 
Paul had said that the conversion of the Gentiles was adapted and de- 
signed to bring about the restoration of the Jews. These two events, 
instead of being at all inconsistent, were intimately related, so that both 
ought to be kept constantly in view, and all eiforts to promote the former 
had a bearing on the accomplishment of the latter. This being the case, 
the Gentiles ought to consider the restoration of the Jews as in no re- 
spect inimical to their interests, but as on every account most desirable. 
Paul, therefore, says that what he had just stated in reference to the 
effect on the Jews, of the conversion of the Gentiles, he designed spe- 
cially for the latter; he wished them to consider that fact, as it would 
prevent any unkind feelings towards the Jews. He had the better right 
thus to speak, as to him especially " the gospel of the uncircumcision 
had been committed." He himself, in all he did to secure the salvation 
of the Gentiles, or to render his office successful, had an eye to the con- 
version of the Jews. The word rendered I magnify means first to praise, 
to estimate and speak highly of a thing ; secondly, to render glorious, 
as ch. 8 : 30, " Whom he justifies them he also glorifies ;" and so in a 
multitude of cases. Either sense of the word suits this passage. The 
latter, however, is much better adapted to the following verse, and, there- 
fore, is to be preferred, 'I endeavour to render my office glorious by 
bringing as many Gentiles as possible into the Redeemer's kingdom ; if 
so be it may provoke and arouse my countrymen.' The object of the 
apostle, therefore, in these verses, is to declare that he always acted 
under the influence of the truth announced at the close of the twelfth 
verse." He endeavoured to make the conversion of the Gentiles a means 
of good to the Jews. 

(14) If hy any means I may provoke to emulation them which are 
my flesh, and might save some of them. This is the reason (of course 
one among many) why Paul desired the conversion of the Gentiles. If 
the two events, the salvation of both classes, were intimately related, 
there was no ground of jealousy on either part. The Gentiles need not 
fear that the restoration of the Jews would be injurious to them, as 
though the happiness of one class were incompatible with that of the 
other. 

(15) For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, 



274 ROMANS 11: 11—36. 

what shall the receiving of them he but life from the dead? Although 
Paul here returns to the sentiment of the 12th verse, this passage is logi- 
cally connected with the preceding. The apostle had said, that even in 
labouring for the Gentiles, he had in view the salvation of the Jews, for 
if their rejection had occasioned so much good, how desirable must be 
their restoration. If the casting aioay of them he the reconciling of the 
luorld. The reconciliation here spoken of is that which Paul so fully 
describes in Eph. 2 : 11 — 22. A reconciliation by which those who 
were aliens and strangers have been brought nigh ; reconciled at once to 
the church, the commonwealth of Israel, and to God himself, "by the 
blood of Christ." This event has been facilitated, as remarked above, 
by the rejection of the Jews, what will the restoration of the Jews then 
be, hat life from the dead? That is, it will be a most glorious event; 
as though a new world had risen ; it will therefore be an event, not only 
glorious in itself, but in the highest degree beneficial for the Gentiles. 

(16) For if the first-fruits he holi/, the lump is also holy, and if thf 
root he holy, so also arc thehranches. Under two striking and appropriate 
figures, the apostle expresses the general idea, ' If one portion of the 
Jewish people is holy, so also is the other.' With regard to this inte- 
resting passage, the first point to be settled is the allusion in the figura- 
tive expression in the first clause. The Jews were commanded to ofFei 
a certain portion of all the productions of the earth to God, as an expres- 
sion of gratitude and acknowledgment of dependence. This offering, 
called the first-fruits, was to be made, first, from the productions in their 
natural state (Ex. 23 : 19) ; and, secondly, from the meal, wine, oil, and 
dough, as prepared for use. Num. 15 : 20, " Of the first of your dough 
ye shall give unto the Lord a heave-ofiering in all your generations ;" 
Neh. 10 : 37. Deut. 18 : 14. The allusion is here probably to the latter 
of these offerings, as the word lump cannot so well refer to the mass of 
grains as to the mass of dough from which the first-fruits were taken.* 

By the first-fruits and the root are to be understood the source of the 
Jewish people, i. e. their ancestors; and by the lump and branches the 
residue of the nation. The meaning, therefore, is, ' If the ancestors of 
the Jews were holy, so are their descendants.' The word holy does not 
in this case mean morally pure, but consecrated, separated to the special 
service of God. The word is used in this sense in a multitude of cases 
in the Old Testament, and is applied to any person, place, or thing 
set apart for the service of God. It is used in the same sense in the New 
Testament also : see Matt. 4:5. 7:6. Luke 2 : 23. 1 Cor. 7 : 14. The 
Jews, therefore, in this passage are called holy, because peculiarly con- 
secrated to God, separated from the rest of the world as his chosen 
people. 

The connexion of this verse with the preceding, its import and bearing 
on the apostle's object is therefore clear. The restoration of the Jews, 
which will be attended with such beneficial results for the whole world, 
is to be expected, because of their peculiar relation to God as his chosen 



ROMANS 11: 11—36. 275 

people. God, in selecting the Hebrew patriarchs and setting them apart 
for his service, had reference to their descendants as well as to themselves, 
and designed that the Jews as a people should, to the latest generations, 
be specially devoted to himself. They stand now, therefore, and ever 
have stood, in a relation to God, which no other nation ever has sus- 
tained; and, in consequence of this relation, their restoration to the 
divine favour is an event in itself probable, and one, which Paul after- 
wards teaches (v. 25), God has determined to accomplish. 

(17 — 24) The object of these verses is to make such an application of 
the truths which Paul had just taught as should prevent any feeling of 
exultation or triumph of the Gentile Christians over the Jews. It is true 
that the Jews have been partially rejected from the church of God, that 
the Gentiles have been introduced into it, and that the Jews are ultimately 
to be restored : these things, however, afford no ground of boasting to 
the Gentiles, but rather cause of thankfulness and caution. Paul illus- 
trates these truths by a very appropriate figure. 

(17) And if some of the branches he broken off, and thou, being a 
wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, &c. The purport of this 
passage is plain. Some of the Jews were broken off and rejected ; the 
Gentiles, though apparently little susceptible of such a blessing, were 
introduced into the church, and made to partake of all its peculiar and 
precious privileges. The Jewish church is compared to the olive tree, 
one of the most durable, productive, and valuable of the productions of the 
earth, because it was highly favoured, and, therefore, valued in the sight 
of God. The Gentiles are compared to the wild olive, one of the most 
worthless of trees, to express the degradation of their state, considered as 
estranged from God. As it is customary to ingraft good scions on infe- 
rior stocks, the nature of the product bring determined by the graft and 
not the root, it has been thought that the illustration of the apostle is not 
very apposite. But the difficulty may result from pressing the compari- 
son too far. The idea may be simply this, ' as the scion of one tree is 
ingrafted into another, and has no independent life, but derives all its 
vigour from the root, so the Gentiles are introduced among the people of 
God, not to confer but to receive good.' It is, however said, on the au- 
thority of ancient writers and of modern travellers, to have been not unusual 
to graft the wild on the cultivated olive. 

It is plain from this verse that the root in this passage cannot be the 
early converts from among the Jews, but the ancient covenant people of 
God. The ancient theocracy was merged in the kingdom of Christ. The 
latter is but an enlargement and elevation of the former. There has, 
therefore, never been other than one family of God on earth, existing 
under different institutions, and enjoying different degrees of light and 
favour. This family was composed of old of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 
and their descendants. At the advent its name and circumstances were 
changed, many of its old members were cast out, and others introduced, 



276 ROMANS 11: 11— .30. 

but it is the same family still. Or, to return to the apostle's illustration, 
it is the same tree, some of the branches only being changed. 

(18) Boast not thyself against the branches. But if thou boast, thou 
bearest not the root, but the root thee. The truth which the apostle had 
just taught, that the Jews were the channel of blessings to the Gentiles, 
and not the reverse, was adapted to prevent all ungenerous and self-con- 
fident exultation of the latter over the former. 

(19) Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might 
be graffed in. The Gentiles are not authorized to infer from the fact 
that the Jews were rejected and they chosen, that this occurred on the 
ground of their being in themselves better than the Jews. The true 
reason of this dispensation is assigned in the next verse. 

(30) Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, &c. The fact 
that they were broken off is admitted, but the inference impliedly drawn 
by the Gentiles is denied. It was not for any personal considerations 
that the one was rejected and the other chosen. The Jews were rejected 
because they rejected the Saviour, and the only tenure by which the ad- 
vantages of a covenant relation to God can be retained is faith. The 
Gentiles, therefore, will not be secure because Gentiles, any more than 
the Jews were safe because Jews. Instead therefore of being high- 
minded, they should fear. 

(21) If God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also 
spare not thee. The Gentile has even more reason to fear than the Jew 
had. It was in itself far more probable that God would spare a people 
so long connected with him in the most peculiar manner, than that he 
will spare those who have no such claims on his mercy. The idea in- 
tended to be expressed by this verse probably is, that the Jews, from their 
relation to God, were more likely to be spared than the Gentiles, inas- 
much as God is accustomed to bear long with the recipients of his mercy 
before he casts them off; even as a father bears long with a son before 
he discards him and adopts another. 

(22) Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God; on them 
ivhich fell severity ; but on thee goodness. The eflfect, which the con- 
sideration of these dispensations of God should produce, is gratitude and 
fear. Gratitude, in view of the favour which we Gentiles have received, 
and fear lest we should be cut off; for our security does not depend upon 
our now enjoying the blessings of the church of God, but is dependent 
on our continuing in the divine goodness or favour (Rom. 3 : 4. Tit. 
3 : 4), that is, on our doing nothing to forfeit that favour; its continuance 
being suspended on the condition of our fidelity. There is no promise or 
covenant on the part of God securing to the Gentiles theenjoyment of these 
blessings through all generations, any more than there was any such 
promise to protect the Jews from the consequences of their unbelief. 
The continuance of these favours depends on the conduct of each suc- 
cessive generation. Paul, therefore, says to the Gentile that he must 
continue in the divine favour, " otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." 



ROMANS 11: 11—36. 277 

(23) And they also, if they bide not in unbelief, shall be graffed in, 
&c. The principle which the apostle had just stated as applicable to the 
Gentiles, is applicable also to the Jews. Neither one nor the other, 
simply because Jew or Gentile, is either retained in the church, or 
excluded from it. As the one continues in this relation to God, only on 
condition of faith; so the other is excluded by his unbelief alone. 
Nothing but unbelief prevents the Jews being brought back, "for God 
is able to grafFthem in again." That is, not merely has God the power 
to accomplish this result, but the difficulty or impediment is not in him, 
but solely in themselves. There is no inexorable purpose in the divine 
mind, nor any insuperable obstacle in the circumstances of the case, 
which forbids their restoration ; on the contrary, the event is, in itself 
considered, far more probable than the calling of the Gentiles. 

(24) For if thou ivert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by 
nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree ; 
how much more, &c. The simple meaning of this verse is, that the 
future restoration of the Jews is, in itself, a more probable event than 
the introduction of the Gentiles into the church of God. This, of course, 
supposes that God regarded the Jews, on account of their relation to him, 
with peculiar favour, and that there is still something in their relation to 
the ancient servants of God and his covenant with them, which causes 
them to be regarded with special interest. As men look upon the chil- 
dren of their early friends with kinder feelings than on the children of 
strangers, God refers to this fact to make us sensible that he still retains 
purposes of peculiar mercy towards his ancient people. The restoration 
of this people, therefore, to the blessings of the church of God is far from 
being an improbable event. 

(25) For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant of this mystery, 
lest ye should be ivise in your own conceits, that blindness in part has 
happened unto Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 
Paul, having shown that the restoration of the Jews is a probable and 
desirable event, in this passage declares that God has determined to ac- 
complish it. I would not have you ignorant, is a form of expression 
which he often uses when he wishes to call the attention of his readers 
to something of special importance. The word mystery, in the scriptu- 
ral sense of the term, does not mean something incomprehensible, but 
something hidden, or previously unknown, and which can only be dis- 
covered by divine revelation. In this sense the whole gospel is called a 
mystery, Rom. 16; 25. 1 Cor. 2 : 7. 4: 1. Eph. 6 : 19 ; or any single 
doctrine, however simple, may be so called; see Eph. 3: 4. The use 
of this word shows that Paul meant in this verse to declare a fact which 
was undiscoverable by human reason, one which could be known only 
when revealed. Such an event is the future restoration of the Jews. 

Lest ye should be wise in your own conceits. This is given as the 
reason why the apostle wished the Gentiles to know and consider the 
event which he was about to announce. This clause may mean either, 

2 A 



278 ROMANS 11: 11—36. 

* Lest ye proudly imagine that your own ideas of the destiny of the Jews 
are correct ;' or, ' Lest ye be proud and elated, as though you were 
better and more highly favoured than the Jews.' The former is perhaps 
most in accordance wdth the literal meaning of the words ; see Proverbs 
3:7. 

Blindness in part, i. e. partial blindness ; partial as to its extent and 
continuance ; because not all the Jews were thus blinded, nor were the 
nation to remain blind for ever. The word rendered blindness is more 
correctly rendered, in Mark 3: 5, hardness ; compare Eph. 4 : 18 ; see 
V. 7, and ch. 9 : 18. 

Until the fulness of the Gentiles he come in. See v. 12 for the vari- 
ous meanings of the word rendered /liZnes.s. The sense which best suits 
this passage is multitude ; see Gen. 48: 19, " His seed shall become a 
multitude of nations ;" and Isa. 31:4, where, in Hebrew, the word for 
fulness is used. The clause then means, ' Until the multitude of the 
Gentiles be converted.' It does not necessarily imply that all the Gen- 
tiles are to be thus brought in before the conversion of the Jews occurs, 
but that this latter.event was not to take place until a great multitude of 
the Gentiles had entered into the kingdom of Christ. The meaning 
then of this interesting passage is, that the partial blindness of the Jews 
is to continue until the conversion of the fulness of the Gentiles, and 
then, as stated in the next verse, they are to be brought again into the 
kingdom of God. 

(26) And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written. Israel here, 
from the context, must mean the Jewish people, and all Israel the whole 
nation, in opposition to the part spoken of above. Now, part of the 
Jewish people is rejected ; then, the whole shall be gathered in. The 
nation, as such, shall acknowledge Jesus to be the Messiah, and be ad- 
mitted into his kingdom. 

In support of this declaration, Paul appeals to a prediction in Isa. 59 : 
20, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, who shall turn away un- 
godliness from Jacob. The apostle's version of this passage agrees 
neither with the Hebrew nor the Septuagint. It differs, however, but 
little from the latter. Instead of out of Zion, the Greek version has for 
the sake of Zion, and the English, to Zion. The last is the most literal, 
the second is also correct, but the first (^out of Zion) is not consistent with 
the force of the Hebrew preposition used by Isaiah. It is most probable, 
therefore, that the apostle borrowed those words fromPs. 14 : 7. In the 
latter part of the verse the departure from the Hebrew is more serious. 
In our version we have a literal translation of the Hebrew, "The Re- 
deemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in 
Jacob." Paul follows the Septuagint, with which also the Chaldee 
paraphrase agrees. This agreement of the ancient versions has led critics 
to suppose that the ancient translators found a different reading in the 
Hebrew text from that which we have at present. This is the more pro- 
bable, because the Hebrew phrase, as it now stands, is very unusual, to 



ROMANS 11: 11—36. 279 

the converts of transgressions. But even according to the present text, 
the passage contains the general meaning which the apostle attributes to 
it. ' The Goel, the deliverer, should come for the salvation of Zion.' 

The apostle informs us that the deliverance vi^hich God promised to 
effect, and which is spoken of by the prophet in the passage above cited, 
included much more than the conversion of the few Jews who believed 
in Christ at the advent. The full accomplishment of the promise, that 
he should turn away ungodliness from Jacob, contemplated the conver- 
sion of the whole nation as such to the Lord. We are, of course, bound 
to receive the apostle's interpretation as correct, and there is the less dif- 
ficulty in this, as there is nothing in the original passage at all incompa- 
tible with it, and as it accords with the nature of God's covenant with his 
ancient people. 

(27) For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall tahe away 
their sins. This verse is not a quotation from any one passage in the Old 
Testament, but rather a declaration, on the part of the apostle, of the pur- 
port of God's promises or covenant with his people. The first clause 
occurs in Isa. 59: 21, immediately after the passage quoted above, and 
also in Jer. 31 : 33. The latter clause may be considered either as the 
substance of the passage in Jeremiah, or as borrowed from Isa. 27 : 9, 
where, in the Septuagint, these same words occur. In either case the 
general idea is the same. ' The promise of God contemplated the taking 
away of the sins of his covenant people, and their consequent restoration 
to his favour.' The words when I shall take away their sins may, ac- 
cording to the context, mean either, when I have punished their sins : 
or, when I have removed them. Neither is inconsistent with the context 
in this case, as the apostle may mean that God would restore the Jews 
after he had punished them for their iniquities, or when he had converted 
them from their unbelief; see Isa. 4 : 4. 

(28) .Ms concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sahes, but as 
touching the election they are beloved for the fathers^ sakes. In this and the 
few following verses, the apostle sums up what he had previously taught. 
The Jews, he says, were now, as far as the gospel was concerned, 
regarded and treated as enemies for the benefit of the Gentiles, but, in 
reference to the election, they were still regarded as the peculiar people 
of God on account of their connexion with the patriarchs. They are ene- 
mies, whether of the gospel, of the apostle, or of God, is not expressed, 
and, therefore, depends on the context. Each view of the clause has its 
advocates ; the last is the correct one, because they are enemies to him, by 
whom, on one account, they are beloved. The word may be taken ac- 
tively or passively. They are inimical to God, or they are regarded and 
treated as enemies by him. The latter best suits the context. They 
are now aliens from their own covenant of promise. 

As concerning the gospel, that is, the gospel is the occasion of their 
being regarded as enemies. This is explained by a reference to vs. 11, 
15 By their punishment the progress of the gospel has been facilitated 



280 ROMANS 11 : 11—36. 

among the Gentiles ; and, therefore, the apostle says, it is for your sa/ces 
they are thus treated. On the other hand, as it regards the election or the 
covenant of God, they are still regarded with peculiar favour, because 
descended from those patriarchs to whom and to whose seed the promises 
were made. This is but expressing in a different form the idea which 
the apostle had previously presented, viz. that the covenant made with 
Abraham was inconsistent with the final rejection of the Jews as a people. 
God foresaw and predicted their temporary defection and rejection from 
his kingdom, but never contemplated their being for ever excluded ; see 
vs. 16, 25—27. 

(29) For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. God 
is not a man that he should change. Having chosen the Jews as his 
people, the purpose which he had in view in that choice can never be 
altered ; and as it was his purpose that they should ever remain his peo- 
ple, their future restoration to his favour and kingdom is certain. Having 
previously explained the nature of God's covenant with his ancient people, 
Paul infers from the divine character that it will be fully accomplished. 
Calling is equivalent to election as appears from the context, the one word 
being substituted for the other, and also from the use of the cognate 
terms, (see ch. 8 : 28. 1 : 7, &c. &c.) The general proposition of the 
apostle, therefore, is, that the purposes of God are unchangeable ; and, 
consequently, those whom God has chosen for any special benefit cannot 
fail to attain it. 

(30, 31) For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have 
now obtained mercy through their unbelief; even so, &c. These verses 
contain a repetition and confirmation of the previous sentiment. The 
cases of the Gentiles and Jews are very nearly parallel. Formerly the 
Gentiles were disbelieving, yet the unbelief of the Jews became the occa- 
sion of their obtaining mercy ; so now, though the Jews are disobedient, 
the mercy shown to the Gentiles is to be the means of their obtaining 
mercy. As the gospel came from the Jews to the Gentiles, so is it to return 
from the Gentiles to the Jews. Paul had before stated how the unbelief 
of the Israelites was instrumental in promoting the salvation of other 
nations, and how the conversion of the Gentiles was to react upon the Jews. 

The 31st verse is thus rendered in our translation, and, no doubt, cor- 
rectly. Fven so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy 
they also may obtain mercy. The particle rendered that, expresses here 
the result rather than the design. They now are disbelieving, not in order 
that they might obtain mercy through your mercy ; but such is the result. 
Through your mercy. The dative, in which form the words thus trans- 
lated occur, here, as in v. 30 and often elsewhere, expresses the cause or 
occasion. Paul had repeatedly remarked that the conversion of the Gen- 
tiles was to be the occasion of the restoration of the Jews, as the disbe- 
lief of the latter had been the occasion of good to the former. And this 
seems obviously his meaning here, from the opposition between the 
phrases their unbelief and your mercy* 



ROMANS 11: 11—36. 281 

(32) For God hath concluded all in unbelief, that he might have 
mercy upon all. The word rendered hath concluded, means hath deliver^ 
ed over to the power of. Ps. 31 : 8, "Thou hast not shut me up into 
the hand of the enemy ;" Ps. 78 : 50, " He gave their life over to the 
pestilence." In both these cases the Septuagint employ the word here 
used by the apostle. So, too, Gal. 3 : 22, " The scripture hath con- 
cluded all under sin," i. e. declared all to be delivered up to the power 
of sin. The meaning of the passage, therefore, is, that God has delivered 
all men unto unbelief, i. e. has permitted all thus to sin ; or has delivered 
them over, in the sense in which, in ch. 1 : 28, he is said to deliver men 
up to the evil of their own hearts. The object of Paul seems to be to 
direct the attention of his readers to the fact that God's dealings with 
men, Jews and Gentiles, had been such as to place them upon the same 
ground. Both were dependent on sovereign mercy. Both had sunk into 
a state whence no effort and no merit of their own could redeem them, 
and whence, if saved at all, it must be by grace. As, therefore, all men 
had forfeited every claim to the divine mercy, and all were in the same 
condition of unbelief, God had determined to display his goodness by 
having mercy upon all (that is, upon the Jews as well as the Gentiles), 
and thus bring all ultimately to one fold, under one Shepherd. 

(33 — 36) The apostle having finished his exhibition of the plan of 
redemption, having presented clearly the doctrine of justification, sancti- 
fication, the certainty of salvation to all believers, election, the calling of 
the Gentiles, the present rejection and final restoration of the Jews, in 
view of all the wonders and all the glories of the divine dealings with 
men, pours forth this sublime and affecting tribute to the wisdom, good- 
ness, and sovereignty of God. Few passages, even in the Scriptures, 
are to be compared with this, in the force with which it presents the idea 
that God is all, and man is nothing. The principal ideas presented in 
this passage are, 1. The incomprehensible character and infinite excel- 
lence of the divine Nature and dispensations, v. 33. 2. His entire inde- 
pendence of man, vs. 34, 35. 3. His comprehending all things within 
himself; being the source, the means, and the end of all, v. 35. 

(33) the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of 
God ! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways are past 
finding out ! Although it is not probable that, in such a passage, every 
word was designed to be taken in a very precise and definite sense, yet 
it is likely that Paul meant to express different ideas by the terms wis- 
dom and knowledge, because both are so wonderfully displayed in the 
work of redemption, of which he had been speaking. All-comprehend- 
ing knowledge, which surveyed all the subjects of this work, all the 
necessities and circumstances of their being, all the means requisite for 
the accomplishment of the divine purpose, and all the results of those 
means from the beginning to the end. Infinite wisdom, in selecting and 
adapting the means to the object in view, in the ordering of the whole 
scheme of creation, providence, and redemption, so that the glory of God, 

2a2 



282 ROMANS 11: 11—36. 

and the happiness of his creatures are, and are to be, wonderfully pro- 
moted. His judgments are unsearchable. That is, his decisions, pur- 
poses, or decrees. Ps. 119: 75. In this sense this clause differs from 
the following. The plans and purposes of God are unsearchable, and 
his ways, his methods of executing" them, are incomprehensible. Or 
both clauses may be understood as containing the same general idea, 
God's dealings are beyond the comprehension of mortals. 

(34) For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Who hath been 
his counsellor? See Isa. 40: 13. Jer. 23: 18. This and the following 
verse confirm the declaration of the preceding, and assert the entire inde- 
pendence of God. His judgments and ways are unsearchable, for who 
has ever entered into his counsel, or known his purposes ] He derives 
knowledge from none of his creatures, but is in this, as in all things else, 
independent of them all. 

(35) Or who hath Jirst given to him, and it shall be recompensed 
to him again? This is not to be confined to giving counsel or know- 
ledge to God, but expresses the general idea that the creature can do 
nothing to place God under obligation. It will be at once perceived 
how appropriate is this thought, in reference to the doctrines which Paul 
had been teaching. Men are justified, not on the ground of their own 
merit, but of the merit of Christ; they are sanctified, not by the power 
of their own good purposes, and the strength of their own will, but by the 
Spirit of God ; they are chosen and called to eternal life, not on the 
ground of any thing in them, but according to the purpose of him who 
worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. God, therefore, is 
the Alpha and the Omega of salvation. The creature has neither merit 
nor power. His hopes must rest on sovereign mercy alone. 

(36) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things ; to 
whom be glory for ever. Amen. The reason why man can lay God 
under no obligation, is that God is himself all and in all ; the source, 
the means, and the end. By him all things are ; through his power, 
wisdom, and goodness all things are directed and governed ; and to him, 
as their last end, all things tend. For the display of his character, every 
thing exists and is directed, as the highest and noblest of all possible 
objects. Creatures are as nothing, less than vanity, and nothing, in 
comparison with God. Human knowledge, power, and virtue are mere 
glimmering reflections from the brightness of the divine glory. That 
system of religion, therefore, is best in accordance with the character of 
God, the nature of man, and the end of the universe, in which all things 
are of, through, and to God ; and which most effectually leads men to 

say, NOT UNTO us, BUT UNTO THY NAME BE ALL THE GLORY ! 
DOCTRINES. 

1. There is to be a general conversion of the Jews, concerning which 
the apostle teaches us, 1. That it is to be in some way consequent on 
the conversion of the Gentiles, vs. 11, 31. 2. That it will be attended 



ROMANS 11: 11—36. 283 

with the most important and desirable results for the rest of the world, 
vs. 12, 15. 3. That it is to take place after the fulness of the Gentiles 
is brought in ; that is, after the conversion of multitudes of the Gentiles, 
(how many, who can tell 1) v. 25. Nothing is said of this restoration 
being sudden, or effected by miracle, or consequent on the second advent, 
or as attended by a restoration of the Jews to their ow^n land . These 
particulars have all been added by some commentators, either from their 
own imagination, or from their views of other portions of the Scriptures. 
On the contrary, it is through the mercy shown to the Gentiles, accord- 
ing to Paul, that the Jews are to be brought in, which clearly implies 
that the former are to be instrumental in the restoration of the latter. 
And he everywhere teaches that, after their restoration to the church, 
the distinction between Jew and Gentile ceases. In Christ there is 
neither Jew nor Greek, Barbarian nor Scythian, bond nor free. Col. 3: 
11 ; all classes are merged in one, as was the case under the direction 
of the apostles in the first ages of the church. 

2. The church of God is the same in all ages, and under all dispensa- 
tions. It is the society of the true people of God, together with their 
children. To this society the ancient patriarchs and their posterity be- 
longed ; into this society, at the time of Christ, other nations were 
admitted, and the great body of the Jews were cast out, and into this 
same community the ancient people of God are to be again received. In 
every stage of its progress the church is the same. The olive tree is 
one, though the branches are numerous, and sometimes changed, vs. 
17—24. 

3. The web of Providence is wonderfully woven. Good and evil are 
made with equal certainty, under the government of infinite wisdom and 
benevolence, to result in the promotion of God's gracious and glorious 
designs. The wicked unbelief and consequent rejection of the Jews are 
made the means of facilitating the conversion of the Gentiles ; the holy 
faith and obedience of the Gentiles are to be the means of the restoration 
of the Jews, vs. 11, 31. 

4. All organized communities, civil and ecclesiastical, have a common 
responsibility, a moral personality, in the sight of God, and are dealt 
with accordingly, rewarded or punished according to their conduct, as 
sach. As their organized existence is confined to this world, so must the 
retributive dispensations of God respecting them be. Witness the rejec- 
tion, dispersion, and sufferings of the Jews, as a national punishment for 
their national rejection of the Messiah. "Witness the state of all the 
eastern churches broken off from the olive tree for the unbelief of former 
generations. Their fathers sinned, and their children's children, to the 
third and fourth generation, suffer the penalty, as they share in the guilt, 
vs. 1 1—24. 

5. The security of every individual Christian is suspended on his con- 
tinuing in faith and holy obedience ; which is indeed rendered certain by 
the purpose and promise of God. In like manner the security of every 



284 ROMANS 11: 11—36. 

civil and ecclesiastical society, in the enjoyment of its peculiar advan 
tages, is suspended on its fidelity as such, for which fidelity there is no 
special promise with regard to any country, or any church, vs. 20 — 24. 

6. God does sometimes enter into covenant with communities, as such. 
Thus he has covenanted to the w'hole human race that the world shall 
not be again destroyed by a deluge, and that the seasons shall continue 
to succeed each other, in regular order, until the end of time. Thus he 
covenanted with the Jews to be a God to them, and to their seed, for 
ever, and that they should be to him a people. This, it seems, is a per- 
petual covenant, which continues in force until the present day, and 
which renders certain the restoration of the Jews to the privileges of the 
church of God, vs. 16, 28, 29. 

7. It is the radical principle of the Bible, and consequently of all true 
religion, that God is all and in all ; that of him, and through him, and to 
him, are all things. It is the tendency of all truth to exalt God, and to 
humble the creature ; and it is characteristic of true piety to feel that all 
good comes from God, and to desire that all glory should be given to 
God, vs. 33—36. 



1. The mutual relation between the Christian church and the Jews 
should produce in the minds of all the followers of Christ, 1. An abiding 
sense of our obligations to the Jews as the people through whom the 
true religion has been preserved, and the blessings of divine truth ex- 
tended to all nations, vs. 17, 18. 2. Sincere compassion for them, be- 
cause their rejection and misery have been the means of reconciling the 
world to God, i. e. of extending the gospel of reconciliation among men, 
vs. 11, 12, 15. 3. The banishment of all feelings of contempt towards 
them, or exultation over them, vs. 18, 20. 4. An earnest desire, prompt- 
ing to prayer and effort, for their restoration, as an event fraught with 
blessings to them and to all the world, and which God has determined 
to bring to pass, vs. 12, 15, 25, &c. 

2. The dealings of God with his ancient people should, moreover, 
teach us, 1. That we have no security for the continuance of our privi 
leges but constant fidelity, v. 20. 2. That, consequently, instead of 
being proud and self-confident, we should be humble and cautious, vs. 
20, 21. 3. That God will probably not bear with us as long as he bore 
with the Jews, v. 21. 4. That if for our unbelief we are cast out of 
the church, our punishment will probably be more severe. There is no 
special covenant securing the restoration of any apostate branch of the 
Christian church, vs. 21, 24, with 16, 27—29. 

3. It is a great blessing to be connected with those who are in covenant 
with God. The promise is " to thee and thy seed after thee." "The 
Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and 
mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments, to a thou- 
sand generations," Deut. 7 : 9. The blessing of Abraham reaches, in 



ROMANS 11: 11—36. 285 

some of its precious consequences, to the Jews of this and every coming 
age, vs. 16, 27—39. 

' 4. The destiny of our children and our children's children is suspended, 
in a great measure, on our fidelity. " God is a jealous God, visiting the 
iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth gene- 
ration of them that hate him." What words of wo for unborn thousands, 
were those, " His blood be on us and on our children !" As the Jews 
of the present age are suffering the consequences of the unbelief of their 
fathers, and the nominal Christians of the eastern churches suffer for the 
apostasy of previous generations, so will our children perish, if we, for 
our unbelief as a church and nation, are cast off from God, vs. 19 — 24. 

5. As the restoration of the Jews is not only a most desirable event, 
but one which God has determined to accomplish, Christians should keep 
it constantly in view even in their labours for the conversion of the Gen- 
tiles. This Paul did, vs. 13, 14. Every effort to hasten the accession 
of the fulness of the Gentiles is so much done towards the restoration of 
Israel, v. 25. 

6. Christians should not feel as though they were isolated beings, as 
if each one need be concerned for himself alone, having no joint respon- 
sibility with the community to which he belongs. God will deal with 
our church and country as a whole, and visit our sins upon those who are 
to come after us. We should feel, therefore, that we are one body, mem- 
bers one of another, having common interests and responsibilities. We 
ought to weep over the sins of the community to which we belong, as 
being in one sense, and in many of their consequences, our sins, 
vs. 11— 24. 

7. As the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, those to 
whom he has given the Holy Spirit, and has called unto holiness, may 
rejoice in the certainty of the continuance of these blessings, v. 29. 

8. Does the contemplation of the work of redemption, and the remem- 
brance of oar own experience, lead us to sympathize with the apostle in 
his adoring admiration of the wisdom and goodness of God, and to feel 
that, as it regards our salvation, every thing is of him, through him, and 
to him 1 vs. 33—36. 

9. As it is the tendency and result of all correct views of Christian 
doctrine to produce the feelings expressed by the apostle at the close of 
this chapter, those views cannot be scriptural which have a contrary tend- 
ency ; or which lead us to ascribe, in any form, our salvation to our own 
merit or power, vs. 33 — 33. 



286 ROMANS 12: 1—8. 



CHAPTER XII 



CONTENTS. 



This chapter consists of two parts. The first, vs. 1 — 8, treats of piety 
towards God, and the proper estimation and use of the various gifts and 
offices employed or exercised in the church. The second, vs. 9 — 21, 
relates to love and its various manifestations towards different classes 
of men. 

CHAP. 12: 1—8. 

*I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye pre- 
sent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is 
your reasonable service, ^^nd be not conformed to this world : but be ye 
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that 
good, and acceptable, and perfect wdll of God. ^For I say, through the 
grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of him- 
self more highly than he ought to think ; but to think soberly, according 
as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. *For as we have 
many members in one body, and all members have not the same office : 
^so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one 
of another. ^'Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is 
given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the propor- 
tion of faith; ^or ministry, let us wait on ou?- ministering: or he that 
teacheth, on teaching ; ^or he that exhorteth, on exhortation : he that giveth, 
let him do it with simplicity ; he that ruleth, with diligence ; he that 
showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. 



As the apostle had concluded the doctrinal portion of the epistle w^ith 
the preceding chapter, agreeably to his almost uniform practice, he 
deduces from his doctrines important practical lessons. The first deduc- 
tion from the exhibition which he had made of the mercy of God in the 
redemption of men, is, that they should devote themselves to him as a 
living sacrifice, and be conformed to his will, and not to the manners of 
the world, vs. 1, 2. The second is, that they should be humble, and not 
allow the diversity of their gifts to destroy the sense of their unity as one 
body in Christ, vs. 3 — 5. These various gifts were to be exercised, not 
for selfish purposes, but in a manner consistent wdth their nature and 
design ; diligently, disinterestedly, and kindly, vs. 6 — 8. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) / beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, &c. 
As the sum of all that Paul had said of the justification, sanctification, 



ROMANS 12 : 1—8. 287 

and salvation of men is, that these results are to be attributed, not to human 
merit nor to human efforts, but to the mercy of God, he brings the whole 
discussion to bear as a motive for devotion to God. Whatever grati- 
tude the soul feels for pardon, purity, and the sure prospect of eternal 
life, is called forth to secure its consecration to that God who is the author 
of all these mercies. 

That ye present your bodies a living sacrifice^ holy^ acceptable unto 
God. All the expressions of this clause seem to have an obvious reference 
to the services of the Old Testament economy. Under that dispensation, 
animals free from blemish were presented and devoted to God ; under the 
new dispensation a nobler and more spiritual service is to be rendered ; 
not the oblation of animals, but the consecration of ourselves. The ex- 
pression your bodies is perhaps nearly equivalent to yourselves ; yet 
Paul probably used it with design, not only because it is appropriate to 
the figure, but because he wished to render the idea prominent that the 
whole man, body as well as soul, is to be devoted to the service of 
God. " Ye are bought with a price ; therefore glorify God in your body, 
and in your spirits which are God's," 1 Cor. 6 : 20. The apostle carries 
the figure out; the sacrifice is to be living, holy, and acceptable. The 
first of these epithets is generally considered as intended to express the 
contrast between the sacrifice here intended, and the victims which were 
placed lifeless upon the altar; thus believers, in 1 Pet. 2 : 5, are called 
" living stones" in opposition to the senseless materials employed in a 
literal building. The word living, however, may mean perpetual, last- 
ing, never neglected; as in the phrases "living bread," John 6: 51, 
* bread which never loses its power;' " living hope," 1 Pet. 1 : 3, 'hope 
which never fails ;' " living waters,' " a living way," &c. The sacrifice 
then which we are to make is not a transient service like the oblation of 
a victim which was in a few moments consumed upon the altar, but it is ( 
a living or perpetual sacrifice never to be neglected or recalled. The 
epithet holy has probably direct reference to the frequent use of a nearly 
corresponding word in the Hebrew scriptures, which, when applied to 
sacrifices, is commonly rendered without blemish. The word holy is then 
In this case equivalent to immaculate, i. e. free from those defects which 
would cause an offering to be rejected. Thq^term acceptable is here used 
in the same sense as the phrase " for a sweet smelling savour," Eph. 5 : 
2. Phil. 4 : 18. Lev. 1 : 9, i. e. grateful, well-pleasing ; a sacrifice in 
which God delights. 

Your reasonable service. There is doubt as to the grammatical con- 
struction of this clause. The most natural and simple explanation is to 
consider it in apposition with the preceding member of the sentence, as 
has been done by our translators, who supply the words which is. This 
consecration of ourselves to God, which the apostle requires, is a reason- 
able service. The word rendered reasonable is variously explained. The 
simplest interpretation is that which takes the word in its natural sense, 
viz. pertaining to the mind ; it is a mental or spiritual service in opposi- 



28& ROMANS 12: 1—8. 

tion to ceremonial and external observances. Compare the phrase * milk 
suited, or pertaining to the mind,' 1 Pet. 2 : 2. Others understand these 
words as expressing the difference between the sacrifices under the 
Christian dispensation and those under the Old. Formerly animals 
destitute of reason were offered unto God, but now men possessed of a 
rational soul. But this interpretation is neither so well suited to the 
meaning of the word, nor does it give a sense so consistent with the 
context. 

(2) And he not conformed to this world, hut he ye transformed hy the 
renewing of your mind, &c. Not only is God to be worshipped in 
spirit and in truth, as required in the preceding verse, but there must be 
a corresponding holiness of life. This idea is expressed in the manner 
most common with the sacred writers. Regarding men universally as 
corrupted and devoted to sin, the world is with them equivalent to the 
wicked; to be conformed to the world, therefore, is to be like unrenewed 
men in temper and in life. The word accurately rendered conformea 
expresses strongly the idea of similarity in character and manners ; and 
that rendered transformed expresses with equal strength the opposite 
idea. This world. The origin of this term, as used in the New Testa- 
ment, is no doubt to be sought in the mode of expression so common 
among the Jews, who were accustomed to distinguish between the times 
before, and the times under the Messiah, by calling the former period this 
world, or this age, and the latter, the world, or age to come. The former 
phrase thus naturally came to designate those who were without, and the 
latter those who were within the kingdom of Christ; they are equivalent 
to the expressions the world and the church ,- the mass of mankind and 
the people of God ; com. 1 Cor. 2 : 8. Eph. 2 : 2. 2 Cor. 4 : 4. 

By the renewing of your mind. This phrase is intended to be ex- 
planatory of the preceding. The transformation to which Christians are 
exhorted, is not a mere external change, but one which results from a 
change of heart, an entire alteration of the state of the mind. The word 
rendered mind is used, as it is here, frequently in the New Testament, 
Rom. 1 : 28. Eph. 4 : 17, 23. Col. 2 : 18, &c., in all these and in similar 
cases it does not differ from the word heart. 

That ye may he ahle to prove what is that good and acceptable and 
perfect will of God. The logical relation of this clause to the preced- 
ing is doubtful, as the original admits of its being regarded as express- 
ing either the design or the result of the change just spoken of. Our 
translators have adopted the former view, ' Ye are renewed, in order that 
ye may be able to prove, &c.' The other, however, gives an equally 
good sense, ' Ye are renewed so that ye prove,' &c. ; such is the effect 
of the change in question. The word rendered to prove signifies also to 
approve; the sense of this passage, therefore, may be either 'that ye 
may try or prove what is acceptable to God,' i. e. decide upon or ascer- 
tain what is right ; or, ' that ye may approve what is good,' &c. The 
words goodf acceptahk) and perfect, are by many considered as predicates 



ROMANS 12: 1—8. 289 

of the word will. As, however, the expression ' acceptable will of God' 
is unnatural and unusual, the majority of modern commentators take them 
as substantives; 'that ye may approve what is good, acceptable and 
perfect, viz. the will of God.' The last phrase is then in apposition with 
the others. The design and result then of that great change of which 
Paul speaks is, that Christians should know, delight in, and practise 
whatever is good and acceptable to God ; compare Eph. 5 : 10, 17. Phil. 
4:8. 

(3) For I say through the grace given unto me, to every man that 
is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to 
think, &LC. The apostle connects with the general exhortation contained 
in the preceding verses, and founds upon it, an exhortation to special 
Christian virtues. The first virtue which he enjoins upon believers is 
modesty or humility. This has reference specially to the officers of the 
church, or at least to the recipients of spiritual gifts. It is very evident 
from 1 Cor. 12 and 14, that these gifts were coveted and exercised by 
many of the early Christians for the purpose of self-exaltation. They, 
therefore, desired not those which were most useful, but those which were 
most attractive ; and some were puffed up, while others were envious and 
discontented. This evil the apostle forcibly and beautifully reproved in 
the chapters referred to, in the same manner that he does here, and much 
more at length. 

Through the grace given unto me. The word grace in this clause is 
by many understood to mean the apostolic office, which Paul elsewhere 
speaks of as a great favour; com. ch. 1:5. 15 : 15. Eph. 3 : 2, 8. But 
this interpretation appears here too limited ; the word probably includes 
all the favour of God towards him, not merely in conferring on him the 
office of an apostle, but in bestowing all the gifts of the Spirit, ordinary 
and extraordinary, which qualified him for his duties, and gave autkority 
to his instructions. 

Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. The 
word to think is an inadequate translation of the Greek, inasmuch as the 
latter includes the idea of the exercise of the affections as well as of the 
intellect ; see ch. 8 : 5. Col. 3 : 2. Phil. 3 : 19. To think of oneself too 
highly is to be puffed up with an idea of our own importance and supe- 
riority. 

But to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the 
measure of faith. The word rendered soberly properly means to be of a 
sane mind; and then to be moderate, or temperate. Paul speaks of one 
who overestimates or praises himself as being beside himself; and of 
him who is modest and humble as being of a sane mind, i. e. as making 
a proper estimate of himself. " For whether we be beside ourselves, it 
is to God ; or whether we be sober, it is for your cause," 2 Cor. 5 : 13, 
1. e. ' If we commend ourselves, it is that God may be honoured ; and if 
we act modestly and abstain from self-commendation, it is that you may 
be benefited.* » To think soberly, therefore, is to form and manifest a 

SB 



290 ROMANS 12: 1--8. 

right estimate of ourselves, and of our gifts. A right estimate can never 
be other than a very humble one, since, whatever there is of good in us is 
not of ourselves, but of God. 

The expression measure or proportion of faith is variously explained. 
Faith may be taken in its usual sense, and the meaning of the clause be, 
' Let every one think of himself according to the degree of faith or confi- 
dence in God which has been imparted to him, and not as though he had 
more than he really possesses.' Or faith may be taken for what is be- 
lieved, or for knowledge of divine truth, and the sense be, ' according to 
the degree of knowledge which he has attained.' Or it may be taken for 
that which is confided to any, and be equivalent to gift. The sense then 
is, ' Let every one think of himself according to the nature or character 
of the gifts which he has received.' This is perhaps the most generally 
received interpretation, though the first is certainly more natural : either, 
however, gives a good sense. 

(4, 5) For as we have many members in one body, and all members have 
not the same office ,• so we, &c. In these verses we have the same com- 
parison that occurs more at length in 1 Cor. 12, and for the same purpose. 
The object of the apostle is in both cases the same. He designs to show 
that the diversity of offices and gifts among Christians, so far from being 
inconsistent with their union as one body in Christ, is necessary to the 
perfection and usefulness of that body. It would be as unreasonable for 
all Christians to have the same gifts, as for all the members of the human 
frame to have the same office. This comparison is peculiarly beautiful 
and appropriate ; because it not only clearly illustrates the particular 
point intended, but at the same time brings into view the important truth 
that the real union of Christians results from the indwelling of the Holy 
Spirit, as the union of the several members of the body is the result of 
their being all animated and actuated by one soul. Nothing can present 
in a clearer light the duty of Christian fellowship, or the sinfulness of 
divisions and envyings among the members of Christ's body than the 
apostle's comparison. ' Believers, though many,are one body in Christ, 
and every one members one of another.' 

(6) Having, therefore, gifts differing according to the grace given 
unto us, &c. In this and the following verses we have the application 
of the preceding comparison to the special object in view. ' If Chris- 
tians are all members of the same body, having different offices and gifts, 
instead of being puffed up one above another, and instead of envying and 
opposing each other, they should severally discharge their respective 
duties, diligently and humbly, for the good of the whole, and not for 
their own advantage.' There is no appearance of systematic arrange- 
ment in this passage ; on the contrary, Paul seems to refer without any 
order to the various duties which the officers and even private members 
of the church were called upon to perform. The construction in the 
original is not entirely regular, and, therefore, has been variously ex- 
plained. There is no interpretation more natural thaa that adopted by 



ROMANS 12: 1—8. 891. 

our translators, who, considering the passage as elliptical, have supplied 
in the several specifications the phrases vi^hich in each case the sense 
requires. 

Havings therefore, gifts differing according to the grace given unto 
«s, i. e. as there are in the one body various offices and gifts, let every- 
one act in a manner consistent with the nature and design of the particu- 
lar gift which he has received. Whether prophecy, let us prophesy ac- 
cording to the proportion of faith. The first gift specified is that of 
'prophecy, with regard to the precise nature of which there is no little 
diversity of opinion. The original and proper meaning of the Hebrew 
word rendered prophet in the Old Testament is interpreter, one who 
explains or delivers the will of another. And to this idea the Greek term 
also answers. It matters little whether the will or purpose of God which 
the prophets were called upon to deliver, had reference to present duty 
or to future events. They derived their Hebrew name, not from predict- 
ing what was to come to pass, which was but a small part of their duty, 
but from being the interpreters of God, men who spoke in his name. 
We accordingly find the term prophet applied to all classes of religious 
teachers under the old dispensation. See Gen. 20: 7. Deut. 18: 18; 
and particularly Ex. 7 : 1, " And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have 
made thee a god unto Pharaoh ; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy pro- 
phet," i. e. thy interpreter. In ch. 4: 16, it is said, "He shall be a 
mouth to thee," which expresses the same idea. And this is also the 
sense of the word in the New Testament ; it is applied to any one em- 
ployed to deliver a divine message. Matt. 10 : 41. 13 : 57. Luke 4 : 24. 
7: 26—29. John 4: 19. Acts 15: 32. 1 Cor. 12 : 28. 14: 29—32. 
From these and numerous similar passages it appears that the prophets 
in the Christian church were men who spoke under the immediate influ- 
ence of the Spirit of God, and delivered some divine communication re- 
lating to doctrinal truths, to present duty, to future events, &c., as the 
case might be. The point of distinction between them and the apostles, 
considered as religious teachers, appears to have been, that the inspira- 
tion of the apostles was abiding, they were the infallible and authorita- 
tive messengers of Christ; whereas the inspiration of the prophets was 
occasional and transient. The latter differed from the teachers, inas- 
much as these were not necessarily inspired, but taught to others what 
they themselves had learned from the Scriptures, or from inspired men. 

The gift of which Paul here speaks is not, therefore, the faculty of 
predicting future events, but that of immediate occasional inspiration, 
»eading the recipient to deliver, as the mouth of God, the particular com- 
munication which he had received, whether designed for instruction, 
exhortation, or comfort. The apostle required that those who enjoyed 
this gift should exercise it according to the proportion of faith. This 
clause admits of different interpretations. The word rendered proportion 
may mean either proportion or measure, rule, standard. Classic usage 
is rather in favour of the former of these meanings, &c. The latter, 



292 ROMANS 12: 1—8. 

however, is necessarily included in the former ; and the word is defined by 

Hesychius, measure, canon, or rule. The choice between the two niean- 
ings of the word must depend on the sense given to the word faith, and 
on the context. Faith may here mean inward confidence or belief; or it 
may mean the gift received, i. e. that which is confided', or, finally, that 
which is believed, i. e. truths divinely revealed. If faith here means, 
as it does in so many other places, the object of faith, or the truths to be 
believed (see Gal. 1 : 23. 3 : 23, 25. 6 : 10. Eph. 4 : 5. 1 Thess. 3 : 5, 
&c. &c.), then according to the analog?/ signifies agreeably io the rule 
or standard, and the apostle's direction to the prophets is, that in all their 
communications they are to conform to the rule of faith, and not contra- 
dict those doctrines which had been delivered by men whose inspiration 
had been established by indubitable evidence. In favour of this view of 
the passage is the frequent use of the word faith in the sense thus as- 
signed to it. 2. The fact that similar directions respecting those who 
consider themselves prophets, or inspired persons, occur in other pas- 
sages. 1 Cor. 14: 37. iJohn 4 : 1, 6. 3. This interpretation is also 
perfectly suitable to the context. Paul, after giving the general direc- 
tion contained in the preceding verses, as to the light in which the gifts 
of the Spirit were to be viewed, and the manner in which they were to 
be used, in this and the following verses, gives special directions with 
respect to particular gifts. Those who thought themselves prophets 
should be careful to speak nothing but truth, to conform to the standard ; 
those who ministered should devote themselves to their appropriate 
duties, &c. If the first sense of the word faith mentioned above be 
adopted, then the meaning of the passage is, ' Let him prophesy accord- 
ing to his internal convictions ; that is, he must not exceed in his com- 
munications what he honestly believes to have been divinely communi- 
cated, or allow himself to be carried away by enthusiasm to deliver, as 
from God, what is really nothing but his own thoughts.' 

(7) Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering ; or he that teacheth, 
on teaching. The terms minister and ministry {^deacon and deaconship) 
are used in the New Testament both in a general and a restricted sense. 
In the former they are employed in reference to all classes of ecclesiasti- 
cal officers, even the apostles; see 1 Cor. 3 : 5. 2 Cor. 6: 4. Eph. 3 : 7. 
6:21. Col. 1:7, 23. 1 Tim. 4 : 6. See also Acts 1 : 17, 25. 20:24. 
Rom. 11 : 13. 1 Cor. 12 : 5. 2 Cor. 4 : 1, &c. &c. In the latter they are 
used in reference to a particular class of officers, to whom were commit- 
ted the management of the external affairs of the church, the care of the 
poor, attention to the sick, &c. ; see Acts 6 : 1 — 3. Phil. 1:1.1 Tim. 3 : 
8 — 13, &c. It is doubtful in which of these senses the latter of the 
above mentioned words is here used by the apostle; most probably in 
the restricted sense. The apostle exhorts different classes of officers to 
attend to their own pecviliar vocation, and to exercise their own gifts, 
without intruding into the sphere of others, or envying their superioi 



ROMANS 12: 1—8. 293 

endowments. The deacons, therefore, were to attend to the poor and 
the sick, and not attempt to exercise the office of teachers. 

Ht that teacheth, on teaching. Teachers are elsewhere expressly- 
distinguished from prophets, 1 Cor. 12 : 28, 29, " God hath set some in 
the church ; first, apostles ; secondarily, prophets ; thirdly, teachers. 
Are all apostles ? are all prophets % are all teachers 1 are all workers of 
miracles'?" And in this passage they are not to be confounded, nor is 
teaching to be regarded, in this place, as one peu-t of prophesying. Those 
who had the gift of prophecy were to exercise it aright ; those who were 
called to the office of deacons were to devote themselves to their appro- 
priate duties ; and those who had the gift of teaching were to teach. 

(8) He that exhorteth, on exhortation. The word here used means to 
invite, exhort, and to comfort. Our translators have probably selected the 
most appropriate sense. There was probably no distinct class of officers 
called exhorters, as distinguished from teachers ; but as the apostle is 
speaking of gifts as well as offices, his direction is, that he who had the 
gift of teaching should teach, and that he who had a gift for exhortation 
should be content to exhort. 

He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with 
diligence; he that skoweth mercy, with cheerfulness. These directions 
have reference to the manner in which the duties of church officers and 
of private Christians ought to be performed. In this connexion, the 
former no doubt are principally, though not exclusively, intended. He 
that giveth, with simplicity. This direction, considered in reference to 
the deacons, whom, no doubt, Paul had principally in view, contemplates 
their duty of imparting or distributing to the necessity of the saints. 
This duty they are required to perform with simplicity, i. e. with purity 
of motive, freQ from all improper designs. This same word is ren- 
dered singleness of heart in Eph. 6: 5. Col. 3: 22, and occurs, in the 
same sense, in the phrase " simplicity and godly sincerity," 2 Cor. 1 : 12. 
Considered in reference to private Christians, this clause may be rendered 
he that giveth, with liberality -, see 2 Cor. 8:2. 9: 11, 13. 

He that ruleth, with diligence. Here again the right discharge of 
ecclesiastical duties is principally intended ; 1 Thess. 5 : 12, " We be- 
seech you, brethren, to know (esteem, love) them that are over you in the 
Lord ;" 1 Tim. 5 : 17, " The elders that rule well." Some of the pres- 
byters were teachers and others rulers, according to their gifts. Those 
who were called to exercise the office of ruler were required to do it with 
diligence, i. e. with attention and zeal. This is opposed to inertness and 
carelessness. The government of the church, in correcting abuses, pre- 
venting disorders, and in the administration of discipline, calls for constant 
vigilance and fidelity. 

He that showeth mercy, ivith cheerfulness. As the former direction 
(he that giveth, with simplicity) had reference to the care of the poor, 
this relates to the care of the sick and afflicted. These were the two 
great departments of the deacon's duties. The former was to be dis- 

2 b2 



294 ROMANS 12: 1—8. 

charged with honesty, this with cheerfulness ; not as a matter of con 
straint, but with alacrity and kindness. On this the value of any service 
rendered to the children of sorrow mainly depends. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The great principle that truth is in order to holiness, which is so 
frequently taught in the Scriptures, is plainly implied in this passage. 
All the doctrines of justification, grace, election, and final salvation, 
taught in the preceding part of the epistle, are made the foundation for 
the practical duties enjoined in this, v. 1. 

2. The first great duty of redeemed sinners is the dedication of 
themselves to God. This consecration must be entire, of the body as well 
as the soul ; it must be constant and according to his will, v. 1. 

3. Regeneration is a renewing of the mind, evincing itself in a trans- 
formation of the whole character, and leading to the knowledge and 
approbation of whatever is acceptable to God, v. 2. 

4. God is the giver of all good, of honours and offices as well as of 
talents and graces; and in the distribution of his favours he renders to 
every man according to his own will, vs. 3, 6. 

5. Christians are one body in Christ. This unity is not only consist- 
ent with great diversity of gifts, but necessarily implies it; as the body 
is one from the union of various members designed for the performance 
of various functions, vs. 4, 5. 

6. The different offices of the church are of divine appointment, and are 
designed for the benefit of the whole body, and not for the advantage of 
those who hold them, vs. 6 — S. 

REMARKS. 

1. The effisct produced upon us by the mercies of God, in redemption, 
and in his providence, affords an excellent criterion of character. If they 
lead us to devote ourselves to his service, they produce the result foi 
which they were designed, and we may-conclude that we are of the num- 
ber of his children. But if they produce indifference to duty, and cherish 
the idea that we are the special favourites of heaven, or that we may sin 
with impunity, it is an evidence that our hearts are not right in the sight 
of God, V. 1. 

2. While Christians should remember that the service which they are 
called upon to render is a rational service, pertaining to the soul, they 
should not suppose that it consists merely in the secret exercises of the 
heart. The whole man and the whole life must be actively and con- 
stantly devoted to God, v. 1. 

3. Those professors of religion who are conformed to the world cannot 
have experienced that renewing of the mind, which produces a transfor- 
mation of character, v. 2. 

4. Self-conceit and ambition are the besetting sins of men intrusted 
with power, or highly gifted in any respect, as discontent and envy are 



ROMANS 12: 1—8. 295 

those to which persons of inferior station or gifts are most exposed. 
These evil feelings, so offensive to God, would be subdued if men would 
properly lay to heart that peculiar advantages are bestowed according to 
the divine pleasure ; that they are designed to advance the glory of God, 
and good of his church, and not the honour or emolument of those that 
receive them ; and that very frequently those which are least attractive in 
the sight of men, are the most important in the sight of God. It is here 
as in the human frame ; not the most comely parts are the most valuable 
but those which are the least so. The vital parts of our system never 
attract the praise of men, and are never the source of vanity or pride, 
V. 3. 

5. As Christians are one body in Christ, they should feel their mutual 
dependence and their common -interest in their head, from whom life, 
intelligence, enjoyment, and every good comes. They should sympa- 
thize in each other's joys and sorrows ; the hand should not envy the eye, 
nor the eye despise the foot. How can they, who are destitute of this 
common feeling with their fellow Christians, be partakers of that Spirit 
by which true believers are constituted really and not merely nominally 
one ? vs. 4, 5. 

6. Real honour consists in doing well what God calls us to do, and not 
in the possession of high offices or great talents, vs. 6 — 8. 

7. No man's usefulness is increased by going out of his sphere. It is a 
great mistake to suppose because one profession or employment may, in 
itself considered, afford better opportunity of doing good than another, 
that, therefore, any or every man would be more useful in the one than 
in the other. The highest improvement of the individual, and the great- 
est good of the whole, are best secured by each being and doing what 
God sees fit to determine. If all were the same member, where were the 
body 1 ' God is not the author of confusion, but of order, in all the 
churches of the saints,' vs. 6 — 8. 

8. No amount of learning, no superiority of talent, nor even the pre- 
tension to inspiration, can justify a departure from the analogy of faith, 
i. e. from the truths taught by men to whose inspiration God has borne 
witness. All teachers must be brought to this standard ; and even if an 
angel from heaven should preach in contradiction to the Scriptures, he 
should be regarded as anathema. Gal. 1:8. It is a matter of constant 
gratitude that we have such a standard whereby to try the spirits whether 
they be of God. Ministers of Christ should see to it, that they do not 
incur the curse which Paul denounces on those who preach another gos- 
pel, V. 6. 

9. Private Christians, but especially ^ecclesiastical officers, are required 
to discharge their respective duties with singleness of heart, and in the 
exercise of those virtues which the peculiar nature of their vocation may 
demand, vs. 6 — 8. 



296 ROMANS 12: 9—21. 



CHAP. 12 : 9—21. 

^Lct love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil : cleave 
to that which is good. ^^Be kindly affectioned one to another with bro 
therly love ; in honour preferring one another ; *^not slothful in business 
fervent in spirit ; serving- the Lord; ^^j-ejoicing in hope; patient in tri- 
bulation ; continuing instant in prayer; ^^distributing to the necessity 
of saints ; given to hospitality. "Bless them which persecute you ; 
bless, and curse not. ^^Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep 
with them that weep. ^^Be of the same mind one toward another. 
Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not 
w^ise in your own conceits. =^'Recompense to no man evil for evil. Pro- 
vide things honest in the sight of all men. *^If it be possible, as much 
as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. ^^Dearly beloved, avenge 
not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath : for it is written. Ven- 
geance is mine ; I will repay, saith the Lord. ^"Therefore if thine enemy 
hunger, feed him ; if he thirst, give him drink : for in so doing thou shalt 
heap coals of fire on his head. ^^Be not overcome of evil, but overcome 
evil with good. 

ANALYSIS. 

Having treated of those duties which belong more especially to the 
officers of the church, the apostle exhorts his readers generally to the 
exercise of various Christian virtues. There is no logical arrangement 
observed in this part of the chapter, except that the general exhortation 
to love precedes the precepts which relate to those exercises which are, 
for the most part, but different manifestations of this primary grace. 
The love of the Christian must be sincere, and lead to the avoiding of 
evil and the pursuit of good, v. 9. It must produce brotherly affection 
and humility, or kindness, v. 10; diligence and devotion, v. 11; resig- 
nation, patience, and prayer, v. 12 ; charity and hospitality, v. 13 ; for- 
giveness of injuries, v. 14; sympathy with the joys and sorrows of 
others, v. 15; concord and lowliness of mind, v. 16; and a constant 
endeavour to return good for evil, vs. 17 — 21. 

COMMENTARY. 

(9) Let love he without dissimulation, i. e. sincere, not hypocritical, 
and not consisting in words merely. The love here intended is proba- 
bly love to all men, and not to Christians exclusively, as in v. 10 hro< 
therly affection is particularly specified. Much less is love to God the 
idea meant to be expressed. 

Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. The words 
rendered to abhor and to cleave to are peculiarly forcible, and express the 
highest degree of hatred on the one hand, and of persevering devotion on 
the other. Tne latter word, in the active form, properly means to glue, 



ROMANS 12: 9—21. 297 

anJ, in the middle, to attach one's self to any person or thing. The 
words evil and good, in this passage, may he understood of moral good 
and evil ; and the exhortation be considered as a general direction to hate 
the one and love the other. But the great majority of commentators, out 
of regard to the context, take the terms in a restricted sense, making the 
former mean injurious, and the latter kind. The sense of the whole 
verse would then be, ' Let love be sincere ; strive to avoid what is inju- 
rious to others, and earnestly endeavour to do whatever is kind and use- 
ful.' As the words themselves admit of either of these interpretations, 
tlie choice between them depends upon the context. The latter is, on 
this ground, perhaps, to be preferred. 

(10) Be kindly affectioned one to another with Irotherly love, in ho- 
nour preferring one another. ' As to brotherly love, be kindly affec- 
tioned one towards another.' This exhortation seems to have special 
reference to Christians. The word used by the apostle expresses pro- 
perly the strong natural affection between parents and children, but is 
applied also to tender affection of any kind. Here, no doubt, the idea 
is, that Christians should love each other with the same sincerity and 
tenderness as if they were the nearest relatives. 

In honour preferring one another. This passage, thus translated, 
cannot be understood otherwise than as an exhortation to humility ; and 
such is the interpretation generally given to it. But the word rendered 
to prefer never occurs in this sense elsewhere. It means properly to go 
before, to lead, and then, figuratively, to set an example. And the word 
translated honour may mean deference, respect, and even kindness. The 
sense of the clause may then be, ' as to respect and kindness, going be- 
fore each other, or setting an example one to another.' This interpreta- 
tion, which is given by most of the recent commentators, is not only 
better suited to the meaning of the words, but also to the context. The 
idea is, that Christians should not only love one another, but endeavour 
to excel each other in all acts of mutual respect and kindness. 

(11) Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord. 
The love to which the apostle exhorts his readers is not inactive or cold ; 
on the contrary, it manifests itself in diligence, zeal, and devotion to 
God. The word rendered business properly means haste, zeal, activity. \ 
The exhortation has not the reference which our version would naturally 
suggest, viz. to the active performance of our several vocations ; it refers 
rather to religious activity. ' As to activity or diligence (i. e. what re-, ■ 
lates to this point), do not grow weary, or be indolent; on the contrary, 
be fervent in spirit.' The word spirit is by many understood of the Holy 
Spirit ; it most naturally refers to the mind ; compare Acts 18 : 25, where 
it is said of Apollos, " being fervent in spirit (i. e. zealous), he spake and 
taught diligently." This clause, therefore, stands in opposition to the 
preceding. Instead of being inactive, we should be zealous. 

Serving the Lord, i. e. doing service to the Lord, influenced in our 
activity and zeal by a desire to serve Christ. This member of the sen 



298 ROMANS 12: 9—21. 

tence, thus understood, describes the motive from which zeal and dili- 
gence should proceed. Compare Eph. 6: 5 — 8, especially the expres- 
sions as unto Christ, as ike servants of Christy as to the Lord, &c. ; and 
Col. 3 : 22, 23. 

(12) Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant 
in prayer. These exhortations refer to nearly related duties ; Christians 
are to be joyful, patient, and prayerful. However adverse their circum- 
stances, hope, patience, and prayer are not only duties, but the richest 
sources of consolation and support. ' Rejoicing on account of hope, or 
in the joyful expectation of future good.' This hope of salvation is the 
most effectual means of producing patience under present afflictions; for 
if we feel " that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be 
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us," it will not be 
difficult to bear them patiently. Intercourse with God, however, is ne- 
cessary to the exercise of this and all other virtues, and therefore the 
apostle immediately adds continuing instant in prayer. The original 
could hardly be better translated ; as the Greek term expresses the idea 
of perseverance and ardour in the prosecution of any object. There are 
no attributes of acceptable prayer more frequently presented in the Scrip- 
tures than those here referred to, viz. perseverance and fervour, which, 
from their nature, imply faith in the ability and willingness of God to 
grant us needed good. Acts 1:14. 6:4. Eph. 6 : 18, &c. &c. 

(13) Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 
These virtues are the immediate fruits of the love enjoined in vs. 9, 10. 
The word rendered to distribute signifies, intransitively, to become a par- 
taker with ; and, transitively, to cause others to partake with us, to com- 
viunicate to. It is commonly followed by a dative of the person to whom 
the communication is made. Gal. Q>: &. In this case the construction 
may be the same as in the preceding verses, ' as to the necessity of the 
saints, be communicative ;' or ' give to the necessity of the saints, shar- 
ing with them, i. e. communicating to them.' As intimately connected 
with this injunction, the apostle adds given to hospitality, as our trans- 
lators aptly render the strong expression of the original. The value 
which the early Christians placed upon the virtue of hospitality is plain 
from Paul's enumerating it among the requisite qualifications of a bishop, 
Tit. 1 : 8. During times of persecution, and before the general institu- 
tion of houses of entertainment, there was peculiar necessity for Chris- 
tians to entertain strangers. As such houses are still rarely to be met 
with in the east, this duty continues to be there regarded as one of the 
most sacred character. 

(14) Bless them which persecute you; bless, and curse not. The ex- 
ercise of love, and the discharge of the duties of benevolence, are not to 
be confined to the saints or people of God, but the same spirit is to be 
manifested towards our enemies. The word rendered to bless signifies 
both to pray for good to any one, and to do good; here, from the con- 
text, the former meaning is to be preferred, as it is opposed to eursingy 



ROMANS 12: 9—21. S99 

which signifies to imprecate evil on any one. The command, therefore, 
is that, so far from wishing or praying that evil may overtake our perse- 
cutors and enemies, we must sincerely desire and pray for their good. 

(15) Rejoice with them that do rejoice^ and weep with them that 
weep. Love produces not only the forgiveness of enemies, but a general 
sympathy in the joys and sorrows of our fellow men, and especially of 
our fellow Christians. The disposition here enjoined is the very oppo- 
site of a selfish indiflference to any interests but our own. The gospel 
requires that we should feel and act under the impression that all men 
are brethren, that we have a common nature, a common Father, and a 
common destiny. How lovely is genuine sympathy ! How much like 
Christ is the man who feels the sorrows and joys of others, as though 
they were his own ! 

(16) Be of the same mind one towards another ; mind not high things, 
tut condescend to men of low estate. Be not luise in your own conceits. 
The phrase used by the apostle expresses the general idea of concord, 
unanimity; whether of opinion or feeling depends on the context; see 

2 Cor. 13 : 11. Phil. 2 : 2. Rom. 15 : 5. Here the latter idea is the pro- 
minent one. ' Be of the same mind, i. e. be united in feeling, interests, 
and object; let there be no discord or disagreement.' This idea is then 
amplified in the following clauses ; do not be aspiring, but be humble. 
Ambition, and contempt for lowly persons or pursuits, are the states of 
mind most inconsistent with that union of heart by which all Christians 
should be united. 

Mind not high things, i. e. do not aspire after them, do not desire and 
seek them ; see the use of the Greek word here employed in ch. 8:5. Col. 

3 : 2. But condescend to men of lovj estate. The general idea expressed by 
these two clauses is obviously this, ' Be not high-minded, but humble.' 
The precise meaning of the latter, however, is a matter of much doubt. 
The word rendered condescend properly means, in the passive or middle 
voice, to allow one'^s self to he carried along with others, influenced by them, 
as in Gal. 2 : 13, " Insomuch that Barnabas also was (allowed himself to 
be) carried away with their dissimulation." And 2 Pet. 3 : 17, " Beware 
lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your 
own steadfastness." Many retain this sense of the word here, and con- 
sider the exhortation to be, 'not to withdraw themselves from their un- 
fortunate brethren, but to allow themselves to be carried along with them 
before the judgment seat, or into their various trials.' But this seems 
to be pressing the meaning of the word, in this case, too far, as this in- 
terpretation is not suitable to the context. Others, therefore, understand 
the word in an unusual sense, it is true, but still in one nearly allied to 
the other meaning, viz. to associate with .• ' Do not be aspiring, but asso- 
ciate with the lowly.' This gives a perfectly good sense, and one con- 
sistent with the context. The Greek commentators and our translators 
express much the same idea, ' Do not be high-minded, but condescend 
to the lowly,' i. e. sympathize with them, put yourselves on a par with 



300 ROMANS 12: 9—^21. 

them.' The words rendered to men of loiv estate admit of being- taken 
as neuter, and translated lowly things. This would well suit the former 
part of the sentence, ' Mind not high things, but condescend to humble 
affairs, i. e. be humble.' But this interpretation is not consistent with 
the usage of the Greek terms. The interpretation adopted by our trans- 
lators is therefore, on the whole, to be preferred. ' Do not aspire after 
high things^ but condescend to, and associate with, the humble.' 

Be not wise in your own conceit. This precept is intimately con- 
nected with the preceding, since ambition and contempt of others gene- 
rally arise from overweening ideas of our own persons and attainments. 
No species of pride is more insidious or more injurious than the pride of 
intellect, or a fancied superiority to those around us, which leads to a 
contempt of their opinions, and a confident reliance upon ourselves. The 
temper which the gospel requires is that of a little child, docile, diffident, 
and humble; see ch. 11 : 25. Prov. 3 : 7. 

(17) Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in 
the sight of all men. Paul having, in the preceding verses, enjoined 
the duties of love, condescension and kindness towards all men, comes, 
in this and the following passages, to forbid the indulgence of a contrary 
disposition, especially of a spirit of retaliation and revenge. The gene- 
ral direction in the first clause is, not to retaliate ; which is but a lower 
exercise of the virtue afterward enjoined in the command to "overcome 
evil with good." 

Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Our translation of 
this clause is not very happy, as it suggests an idea foreign to the mean- 
ing of the original. Paul does not mean to direct us to make provision 
for ourselves or families in an honest manner, which is probably the 
sense commonly attached to the passage by the English reader, but to act 
in such a manner as to command the confidence and good opinion of men. 
In this view, the connexion of this \\i\h the preceding member of the 
verse is obvious. ' We must not recompense evil for evil, but act in 
such a way as to commend ourselves to the conscience of all men.' 
There should not, therefore, be a period after the word eviU since this 
clause assigns a motive for the discharge of the duty enjoined in the first. 
The word rendered to provide, signifies also to attend to, to care for. The 
sense then is, ' Do not resent injuries, having regard to the good opinion 
of men,' i. e. let a regard to the honour of religion and your own character 
prevent the returning of evil for evil; compare 2 Cor. 8 : 20, 21. 

(18) If it he possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with 
all men. The retaliation of injuries necessarily leads to contention and 
strife, while peace is the natural result of a forgiving disposition. The 
command in this verse, therefore, is naturally connected with that con- 
tained in V. 17. So far from resenting every offence, we should do all 
we can to live at peace with all men. This, however, is not always in 
our own power, and, therefore, the apostle says, as much as lieth in you, 
i. e. as far as it depends on you, let peace be cultivated. This Paul con- 



ROMANS 12: 9—21. 301 

siders, however, as a result not always to be attained, for he says, if it 
be possible live peaceably with all men. 

(19) Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves ; hut rather give place unto 
wrath, &c. This is a repetition and amplification of the previous injunc- 
tion, not to recompense evil for evil. There are three interpretations of 
the phrase give place unto wrath which deserve to be mentioned. Ac- 
cording to the first, the wrath here intended is that of the injured party, 
and to give place to is made to signify, to allow it to pass, i. e. let it go, 
do not cherish or indulge it. But this is in direct contradiction to the 
common and proper meaning of the phrase, which signifies to give free 
scope to ; and no example of a contrary usage is adduced. The second 
interpretation refers the wrath to the injurer. The meaning then is, ' Do 
not avenge yourselves, but rather yield or submit to the anger of your 
enemies.' But this also is inconsistent with the scriptural usage of the 

xpression to give place to, which means to make room for, to give free 
cope to. The third interpretation, therefore, according to which it is the 
wrath of God that is here intended, is the only one consistent with the 
meaning of the phrase or with the context. ' Dearly beloved, avenge not 
yourselves, leave that matter to God ; it is his prerogative to take ven- 
geance, but do you overcome evil with good.' The passage. Vengeance 
is mine, I will repay saith the Lord, is quoted from Deut. 32 : 35, and is 
obviously cited to show the propriety of the command to leave vengeance 
to God, and not attempt to take it into our own hands. 

(20) Therefore, if tliine enemy hunger, feed him ,• if he thirst, give 
him drink, &c. That is, instead of avenging ourselves by returning evil 
for evil, we must return good for evil. The expression /eec? him and give 
him drink are obviously not to be confined to their literal meaning, nor 
even to the discharge of the common offices of humanity ; they are figura- 
tive expressions for all the duties of benevolence. It is not enough, 
therefore, that we preserve an enemy from perishing; we must treat him 
with all affection and kindness. 

For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. This 
whole verse is taken from Prov. 25 : 21, 22, " If thine enemy be hungry 
give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty give him water to drink : For 
thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward 
thee." The common and natural meaning of the expression to heap coals 
ef fre upon any one, is to inflict the greatest pain upon him, to punish 
him most severely; see Ps. 140: 10, "Let burning coals fall upon 
them ;" Ps. 11 : 6, " Upon the wicked he shall rain coals, fire, and brim- 
stone, and an horrible tempest;" Ez.lO: 2. 4Esdr. 16: 52, " Letnotthe 
wicked deny that he has sinned, for coals of fire shall burn upon the head 
of him who denies that he has sinned against the Lord God." The most 
probable explanation of this figurative expression is, that the allusion is 
to the lightning or fire from heaven, which is the symbol of the divine 
vengeance. To rain fire upon any one, is to visit him with the severest 
and surest destruction. This explanation is much more natural than to 

2C 



302 ROMANS 12: 9—21. 

suppose the allusion is to the practice of throwing firebrands upon the 
heads of the besiegers of a city, or to the fusing of metals. Paul does not 
mean to say, ' Treat your enemy kindly, for in so doing you will secure 
his being punished by God in the severest maaner.' His meaning is, 
' Treat your enemy kindly, for in so doing you take the most effectual 
method to subdue him.' To heap coals of fire on the head is to inflict 
the severest punishment, one to which the sufferer must yield. Kindness 
is no less effectual ; the most malignant enemy cannot always withstand 
it. The true and Christian method, therefore, to subdue an enemy is to 
"overcome evil with good." 

(21) Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. It is only 
by disconnecting this verse from the preceding, and considering it as 
nearly independent of it, that any plausibility can be given to the first 
interpretation mentioned above of v. 20. That it is not thus independent 
of it almost every reader must feel. ' We are not to conquer evil by evil, 
but to treat our enemies with kindness. Thus we shall most effectually 
subdue them. Do not, therefore, allow yourself to be overcome of evil 
(i. e. to be provoked to the indulgence of a spirit of retaliation), but over- 
come evil with good, subdue your enemies by kindness, not by injuries.' 

DOCTRINES. 

1. Love is the fulfilling of the law; it leads to the avoiding of every 
thing injurious to our neighbour, and to sedulous attention to every thing 
adapted to promote his welfare, v. 9. 

2. The relation in which Christians stand to each other is that of mem- 
bers of the same family. As, however, it is not a relation constituted by 
birth, nor secured by the adoption of a name, there is no evidence of its 
existence but that which consists in the exercise of that ' brotherly affec- 
tion' (that spiritual ciopyfi) which brethren in Christ feel for each other, 
V. 10. 

3. Religion is the soul of morality, without which it is but a lovely 
corpse. Our moral duties we must perform as "serving the Lord." 
The religious affections and emotions do not supersede those of a simply 
benevolent or social character, but mingle with them, and elevate all 
social and relative duties into acts of religion and genuine morality, 
V. 11. 

4. The source of our life is in God ; without intercourse with him 
therefore we cannot derive those supplies of grace which are requisite to 
preserve the spirit of piety in our hearts, and to send a vital influence 
through the various duties and avocations of life. Hence the absolute 
necessity of being "instant in prayer," v. 12. 

5. God has made of one blood all men that dwell upon the face of the 
earth. There is in this fact, of a common origin and the possession of a 
common nature, a sufficient ground, for the inculcation of a universal 
sympathy with all our fellow men. As he is no true Christian who is 
destitude of a genuine sympathy for his fellow Christians, so he is very 



ROMANS 12:9—21. 303 

far from being a man such as God approves who does not " rejoice with 
them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep," v. 15. 

6. A wrong estimate of ourselves is a fruitful source of evil. Viewed 
in relation to God, and in our own absolute insignificance, w^e have little 
reason to be wise or important in our own conceits. A proper self- 
knowledge will preserve us from pride, ambition, and contempt of others, 
V. 16. 

7. Abstaining from evil is but one half of duty. It is not enough to 
avoid imprecating evil upon our enemies ; we must sincerely desire and 
pray for their welfare. Nor is it sufficient not to recompense evil for 
evil, we must return good for evil, vs. 17 — 21. 

8. The prerogatives of judgment and vengeance belong to God, we 
have no right therefore to arrogate them to ourselves, except in those 
cases in which, for his glory and the good of society, he has given us 
authority. All condemnation of others for self-gratification, and all pri- 
vate revenge, is inconsistent with the gospel, vs. 11 — 21. 

REMARKS. 

1. Christians should never forget that faith without works is dead. It 
is not more important to believe what God has revealed, than to do what 
he has commanded. A faith therefore which does not produce love, kind- 
ness, sympathy, humility, the forgiveness of injuries, &c. can do us little 
good, vs. 9 — 21. 

2. It is peculiarly characteristic of the spirit of the gospel that it turns 
the heart towards others, and away from our own interests. Self is not 
the Christian's centre ; men are loved because they are men. Christians 
because they are Christians ; the former with sincere sympathy and bene- 
volence, the latter with brotherly aflfection. The happiness and feelings 
of others, the gospel teaches us to consult in small, as well as in great 
matters, anticipating each other in all acts of kindness and attention, 
vs. 9—13. 

3. The benevolence of the gospel is active and religious ; it leads to 
constant eflforts, and is imbued with a spirit of piety, v. 11. 

4. We must remember that without Christ we can do nothing ; that it 
is not we that live, but Christ that liveth in us. If, therefore, we attemp 
to discharge the duties here enjoined apart from him, we shall be as a 
branch severed from the vine ; and unless we are " instant in prayer," 
this union with Christ cannot be kept up, v. 12. 

5. Alms-giving and hospitality, in various ages of the church, have been 
unduly exalted, as though they were the whoie of benevolence, and the 
greater part of piety. While we should avoid this extreme, we should 
remember that we are stewards of God, and that ' Whoso hath this 
world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels 
of compassion from him, hath not the love of God dwelling in him,' v. 13. 
1 John 3 : 17. 

6. One of the most beautiful exhibitions of the character of our Saviou, 



304 ROMANS 13: 1—14. 

was afforded by his conduct under persecution. " He was led as a lamb 
to the slaughter ;" "when he was reviled, he reviled not again ; when he 
suffered, he threatened not." Even martyrs dying for the truth have not 
always been able to avoid the prediction of evil to their persecutors ; so 
much easier is it to abstain from recompensing evil for evil, than really 
to love and pray for the good of our enemies. This, however, is Chris- 
tian duty; such is the spirit of the gospel. Just so far, therefore, as we 
find our hearts indisposed to bless those who curse us, or inclined to 
indulge even a secret satisfaction when evil comes upon them, are we 
unchristian in our temper, vs. 19 — 21. 

7. Nothing is so powerful as goodness ; it is the most efficacious means 
to subdue enemies and put down opposition. Men, whose minds can 
withstand argument, and whose hearts rebel against threats, are not proof 
against the persuasive influence of unfeigned love ; there is, therefore, no 
more important collateral reason for being good, than that it increases our 
power to do good, vs. 20, 21. 



CHAPTER Xm. 



CONTENTS. 



This chapter treats mainly of our political duties. From v. 1 to v. 7 
inclusive, the apostle enforces the duties which we owe to civil mao-is- 
trates. From v. 8 to v. 11, he refers to the more general obligations 
under which Christians are placed, but still with special reference to 
their civil and social relations. From v. 11 to the end of the chapter, he 
enjoins an exemplary and holy deportment.' 

CHAP. 13: 1—14. 

*Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no 
power but of God : the powers that be are ordained of God. ^Whosoever 
therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God : and they 
that resist shall receive to themselves damnation, ^por rulers are not a 
terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of th 
power? do that w^hich is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. 
*for he is the minister of God to thee for good . But if thou do that which 
is evil, be afraid ; for he beareth not the sword in vain : for he is the 
minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 
^Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for con- 
science' sake. ^For for this cause pay yc tribute also : for they are God's 
ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. ^Render therefore 
*o all their dues : tribute to whom tribute is due ; custom to whom cus- 



ROMANS 13: 1—14. 305 

torn; fear to whom fear ; honour to whom honour. ^Owe no man any 
thing, but to love one another ; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled 
the law. ^For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shall not kill, 
Thou shall not steal. Thou shall not bear false witness, Thou shalt not 
covet ; and if there he any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended 
in this saying', namely. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ^°Love 
worketh no ill to his neighbour : therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 
**And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of 
sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. ^^The 
night is far spent, the day is at hand : let us therefore cast off the works 
of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. "^^Let us walk honestly, 
as in the day ; not in rioting and drunkeness, not in chambering and wan- 
tonness, not in strife and envying. ^*But put ye on the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fuljil the lust thereof. 

ANALYSIS. 

The duty of obedience to those in authority is enforced, I. By the con- 
sideration that civil government is a divine institution, and, therefore, 
resistance to magistrates in the exercise of their lawful authority is dis- 
obedience to God, vs. 1, 2. 2. From the end or design of their appoint- 
ment, which is to promote the good of society, to be a terror to evil doers, 
and a praise to them that do well, vs. 3, 4. 3. Because such subjection 
is a moral, as well as civil duty, v. 5. On these grounds the payment 
of tributes or taxes, and general deference, are to be cheerfully rendered, 
vs. 6, 7. 

Christians are bound not only to be obedient to those in authority, but 
also to perform all social and relative duties, especially that of love, 
which includes and secures the observance of all others, vs. 8 — 10. A 
pure and exemplary life as members of society is enforced by the con- 
sideration that the night is far spent and that the day is at hand, that the 
time of suffering and trial is nearly over, and that of deliverance approach- 
ing, vs. 11 — 14. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) Let every soul he subject to the higher powers. The expression 
every soul is often used as equivalent to every one ,- it is at times, how- 
ever, emphatic, and such is probably the case in this passage. By higher 
powers is most commonly and naturally understood those in authority, 
without reference to their grade of ofhce, or their character. We are to 
be subject not only to the supreme magistrates, but to all who have autho- 
rity over us. The abstract word powers or authorities is used, as the cor- 
responding terms in most languages, for those who are invested with 
power, Luke 12 : 11. Eph. 1 : 21. 3 : 10, &c. &c. The word rendered 
higher is applied to any one who, in dignity and authority, excels others. 
In 1 Pet. 2 : 13, it is applied to the king as supreme, i. e. superior to all 
other magistrates. But here one class of magistrates is not brought into 

2c2 



306 ROMANS 13: 1—14. 

comparison with another, but they are spoken of as being over other men 
who are not in office. 

There was peculiar necessity, during the apostolic age, for inculcating 
the duty of obedience to civil magistrates. This necessity arose in part 
from the fact that a large portion of the converts to Christianity had been 
Jews, and were peculiarly indisposed to submit to the heathen authori- 
ties. This indisposition (as far as it was peculiar) arose partly from the 
prevailing impression among them that this subjection was unlawful, or 
at least highly derogatory to their character as the people of God, who 
had so long lived under a theocracy ; and partly from their constant 
expectation of a temporal Messiah. 

For there is no power hut of God ; and the powers that he are or- 
dained of God. This is the ground of the command in the first clause. 
We must obey our rulers, because government is of divine appointment. 
It is not a matter which men may or may not have at pleasure ; it is the 
will of God that it should exist, and that those who exercise it should be 
obeyed within the sphere of their legitimate authority. It is doubtful 
whether the word power, in the first clause of this sentence, is to be 
taken as abstract or concrete, i. e. whether the meaning is, ' There is no 
government or authority but of God,' or ' There is no magistrate who is 
not of God ;' every civil magistrate is to be considered as clothed with 
divine authority. There seems to be little difference, as to the real sense 
of the passage, between these two modes of interpretation. The main 
idea obviously is, that government is of divine appointment, and conse- 
quently those who resist it disobey God. In the second clause, the 
powers that he are ordained of God, the sense may be either, all govern- 
ments are ordained of God, or all magistrates are thus ordained. Some 
commentators insist strenuously on the one mode, and some on the other. 
But, as just remarked, the sentiment is in either case the same. As the 
expression higher powers, at the beginning of the verse, is almost uni- 
versally understood of the persons who exercise authority, it would seem 
most natural to understand the same word in the same manner through 
the remainder of the verse. All magistrates, of whatever grade, are to 
be regarded as acting by divine appointment ; not that God designates 
the individuals, but that, it being his will that there should be magis- 
trates, every person w^ho is, in point of fact, clothed with authority is to 
be regarded as having a claim to obedience, founded on the will of God. 
In like manner the authority of parents over their children, of husbands 
over their wives, of masters over their servants, is of God's ordination. 
(2) Whoso, therefore, resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of 
God. This is an obvious inference from the doctrine of the preceding 
verse. If it is the will of God that there should be civil government, 
and persons appointed to exercise authority over others, it is plain that 
to resist such persons in the exercise of their lawful authority is an act 
of disobedience to God. 

.^ind they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. This also ia 




ROMANS 13: 1—14. 307 

an obvious conclusion from the preceding. If disobedience is a sin, it 
will be punished. The word rendered darmiation means here simply 
punishment, which is also the old meaning of the word damnation. As 
this word, however, has become restricted to the final and eternal con- 
demnation of the wicked, it is now unsuited to this passage and some 
others in which it occurs in our version ; see 1 Cor. 11 : 29. Paul does 
not refer to the punishment which the civil magistrate may inflict ; for he 
is speaking of disobedience to those in authority as a sin against God, 
which he will punish. 

It is clear that this passage (vs. 1, 2) is applicable to men living under 
every form of government, monarchial, aristocratical, or democratical, in 
all their various modifications. Those who are in authority are to be 
obeyed within their sphere, no matter how or by whom appointed. The 
extent of this obedience is to be determined from the nature of the case. 
They are to be obeyed, as magistrates, in the exercise of their lawful 
authority. 

(3) For rulers are not a terror to good worlcs, but to evil. This 
verse is not to be connected with the second, but with the first, as it 
assigns an additional reason for the duty there enjoined. Magistrates 
are to be obeyed, for such is the will of God, and because they are ap- 
pointed to repress evil and to promote good. There is a ground, there- 
fore, in the very nature of their office, why they should not be resisted. 

Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power P Do that which is good, 
and thou shall have praise of the same. That is, government is not an 
evil to be feared, except by evil doers. The proper way, he tells us, to 
avoid the punishment which magistrates are authorized to inflict, is not 
by resistance, but by obedience. 

(4) For he is the minister of God for thee for good, &c. This whole 
verse is but an amplification of the preceding. ' Government is a be- 
nevolent institution of God, designed for the benefit of men ; and, there- 
fore, should be respected and obeyed. As it has, however, the rightful 
authority to punish, it is to be feared by those that do evil.' For good, 
i. e. to secure or promote your welfare. Magistrates or rulers are not 
appointed for their own honour or advantage, but for the benefit of so- 
ciety, and, therefore, while those in subjection are on this account to 
obey them, they themselves are taught, what those in power are so apt 
to forget, that they are the servants of the people as well as the servants 
of God, and that the welfare of society is the only legitimate object which 
they, as rulers, are at liberty to pursue. 

But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid ; for he beareth n'ri the 
sword in vain ; a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 
As one part of the design of government is to protect the good, so the 
other is to punish the wicked. The existence of this delegated authority 
is, therefore, a reason why men should abstain from the commission of 
evil. He beareth not the sword in vain, i. e. it is not in vain that he is 
invested with authority to punish. As the common method of inflicting 



30a ROMANS 13 : 1—14. 

capital punishment was by decapitation with a sword, that instrument is 
mentioned as the symbol of the right of punishment, and, as many infer 
from this passage, of the right of capital punishment. 

(5) Wherefore ye must needs he subject, not only for wrath, hut also 
for conscience' sake. That is, subjection to magistrates is not only a 
civil duty enforced by penal statutes, but also a religious duty, and part 
of our obedience to God. For wrath, i. e. from fear of punishment. For 
conscience* sake, i. e. out of regard to God, from conscientious motives. 
In like manner Paul enforces all relative and social duties on religious 
grounds. Children are to obey their parent, because it is right in the 
sight of God ; and servants are to be obedient to their master, as unto 
Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, Eph. 6:1,5, 6. 

(6) For, for this cause, pay ye tribute also. This verse may be con- 
nected by the words rendered for to the preceding, thus, ' Wherefore, 
(i. e. for conscience' sake), ye should pay tribute also.' But it is better 
to consider this clause as containing an inference from the foregoing exhi- 
bition of the nature and design of civil government. ' Since government 
is constituted for the benefit of society, for the punishment of evil doers, 
and for the praise of those that do well, ye should cheerfully pay the con- 
tributions requisite for its support.' 

For they are the ministers of God, attending continually on this 
very thing. This clause introduces another reason for payment of tri- 
bute. Magistrates are not only appointed for the public good, but they 
are the ministers of God, and consequently it is his will that we should 
contribute whatever is necessary to enable them to discharge their duty. 
The word rendered ministers means public servants, men appointed for 
any public work, civil or religious. Among the Greek democratical 
states, especially at Athens, those persons were particularly so called who 
were required to perform some public service at their own expense. It is 
used in Scripture in a general sense for servants or ministers, Rom. 16 : 
16. Heb. 1:7. 8:2. The words to this very thing are most naturally 
understood as referring to the service which, as the ministers of God, 
magistrates are called upon to perform. ' They are the servants of God, 
attending continually to this ministry.' The same idea would be ex- 
pressed by saying, ' They are appointed by God for the public service ;' 
and this is the reason why the necessary contributions should be faith- 
fully and cheerfully made. 

(7) Mender, therefore, to all their dues ; tribute to whom tribute ; 
custom to whom custom ,- fear to whom fear ; honour to whom honour. 
* Such being the will of God, and such the benevolent design of civil 
government, render to magistrates (and to all others) what properly 
belongs to them, whether pecuniary contribution, reverence or honour.' 
The word all seems, from the context, to have special reference to all in 
authority, though it is not necessary to confine it to such persons exclu- 
sively. The word tribute is applied properly to land and capitation tax ; 
and the word custom to the tax levied on merchandise. The words fear 



ROMANS 13: 1—14. 309 

and honour are generally considered in this connexion as differing only 
in degree, the former expressing the reverence to superiors, the latter the 
respect to equals. 

(8) Owe no man any thing, hut to love one another, &c. That is, 
acquit yourselves of all obligations, except love, which is a debt which 
must remain ever due. This is the common, and, considering the con- 
text which abounds with commands, the most natural interpretation of 
this passage. The idea which a cursory reader might be disposed to 
attach to these words, in considering them as a direction not to contract 
pecuniary debts, is not properly expressed by them ; although the prohi- 
bition, in its spirit, includes the incurring of such obligations when we 
have not the certain prospect of discharging them. The command, how- 
ever is, ' Acquit yourselves of all obligations, tribute, custom, fear, ho- 
nour, or whatever else you may owe, but remember that the debt of love 
is still unpaid and always must remain so, for love includes all duty, 
since he that loves another fulfils the law.' 

(9) For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not hill, 
Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not hear false loitness. Thou, shalt not 
covet, and if there be any other commandment it is hriejly comprehended 
in this saying, namely. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. This 
verse is evidently a confirmation of the declaration at the close of the pre- 
ceding one, that love includes all our social duties. This is further con- 
firmed in the following verse. 

(10) Love worheth no ill to his neighbour, therefore love is the ful- 
filling of the laiu. That is, as love delights in the happiness of its 
objects, it effectually prevents us from injuring those we love, and, con- 
sequently, leads us to fulfil all the law requires, because the law requires 
nothing which is not conducive to the best interests of our fellow men. He, 
therefore, who loves his neighbour with the same sincerity that he loves 
himself, and consequently treats him as he would wish, under similar 
circumstances, to be treated by him, will fulfil all that the law enjoins ; 
hence the whole law is comprehended in this one command, Thou shalt 
love thy neighbour as thyself. 

(11) ^nd that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake 
out of sleep ; for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 
From this verse to the end of the chapter, Paul exhorts his readers to 
discharge the duties already enjoined, and urges on them to live a holy 
and exemplary life. The consideration by which this exhortation is 
enforced, is, that the night is far spent and that the day is at hand, the 
time of deliverance is fast approaching. The words rendered and that 
are by many considered as elliptical, and the word do is supplied ; " And 
this do.'' The demonstrative pronoun, however, is frequently used to 
mark the importance of the connexion between two circumstances for the 
case in hand, and is, therefore, often equivalent to the phrases, and indeed, 
the more, &c. So in this case, ' We must discharge our various duties, 
and that knowing, &c. i. e. the rather, because we know, &c. ;' compare 



310 ROMANS 13: 1—14. 

Heb. 11 : 12. 1 Cor. 6 : 6. Eph. 2 : 8. Knowing the time, i. e. consider- 
ing the nature and character of the period in which we now live. The 
original word does not mean time in the general, but a portion of time 
considered as appropriate, as fixed, as short, &c. &c. Paul immediately 
explains himself by adding, that now it is high time to awake out of 
sleep; it was the proper time to arouse themselves from their slumbers, 
and, shaking off all slothfulness, to address themselves earnestly to work. 
For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. This is the reason 
why it is time to be up and active, salvation is at hand. This is not to 
be understood as implying that the apostles expected the speedy 
advent of Christ to judgment ; because, in the first place, we know that 
the time of the second advent was not revealed to them ; see Matt. 24 : 
36, 37. Acts 1: G, 7. 1 Thess. 5 : 1, 2. And, secondly, because they 
expressly teach that ' the day of Christ was not at hand :' see 2 Thess. 2 : 
1 — 3. The most natural interpretation of the passage is, that Paul means 
simply to remind them that the time of deliverance was near ; that the 
difficulties and sins with which they had to contend would soon be dis- 
persed as the shades and mists of night before the rising day. The scr/ra- 
iion, therefore, here intended, is the consummation of the work of Christ 
in their deliverance from this present evil world, and introduction into the 
purity and blessedness of heaven. Eternity is just at hand, is the solemn 
consideration that Paul urges on his readers as a motive for devotion and 
diligence. 

(12) The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us, therefore, 
cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 
The general sentiment of this verse is very obvious. Night or darkness 
is the common emblem of sin and sorrow ; day or light that of know- 
ledge, purity, and happiness. The meaning of the first clause, therefore, 
is, that the time of sin and sorrow is nearly over, that of holiness and 
happiness is at hand. 

Paul continues this beautiful figure through the verse. Therefore let 
us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 
That is, let us renounce those things which need to be concealed, and 
clothe ourselves with those which are suited to the light. The works 
of darkness are those works which men are accustomed to commit in the 
dark, i. e. all evil works ; and armour of light means those virtues and 
good deeds which men are not ashamed of, because they will bear to be 
seen. Paul probably used the word armour instead of works because 
these virtues constitute the offensive and defensive weapons with which 
we are here to contend against sin and evil ; see Eph. 6 : 11. 

(13) Let us walk honestly as in the day ; not in rioting and drunk- 
enness ; not in chambering and wantonness ; not in strife and envying. 
This verse is an amplification of the preceding, stating some of those 
works of darkness which we are to put off; as v. 14 states what is the 
armour of light Avhich we are to put on. The word rendered honestly 
means becomingly, properly. There are three classes of sins specified i . 



ROMANS 13: 1—14. 311 

this verse, to each of which two words are appropriated, viz. intem- 
jterance, impurity, and discord. Rioting and drunkenness belong- to the 
first ; the word appropriately rendered rioting is used both in reference 
to the disorderly religious festivals kept in honour of Bacchus, and to the 
common boisterous carousing* of intemperate young; men. The words 
chamhering and wantonness include all kinds of uncleanness ; and strife 
and envying all kinds of unholy emulation and discord. 

(14) But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christy i. e. be as he was. To 
put on Christ signifies to be intimately united to him, so that he, and 
not we, may appear, Gal. 3 : 27. ' Let not your own evil deeds be seen 
(i. e. do not commit such), but let what Christ was appear in all your 
conduct, as effectually as if clothed with the garment of his virtues.' 

And make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. That 
is, let it not be your care to gratify the flesh. 'By flesh in this passage is 
generally, perhaps, understood the body ; so that the prohibition is con- 
fined to the vicious indulgence of the sensual appetites. But there seems 
to be no sufficient reason for this restriction. As the word is constantly 
used by Paul for whatever is corrupt, and in the preceding verse the sins 
of envy and contention are specially mentioned, it may be understood 
more generally, 'Do not indulge the desires of your corrupt nature.' 

DOCTRINES. 

1. Civil government is a divine institution, i. e. it is the will of God 
that it should exist, and be respected and obeyed, v. 2. 

2. While ' government is of God, the form is of men.' God has never 
enjoined any one form obligatory on all communities; but has simply 
laid down certain principles, applicable to rulers and subjects, undei 
every form in which governments exist, vs. 1 — 7. 

3. The obedience which the Scriptures command us to render to our 
rulers is not unlimited ; there are cases in which disobedience is a duty. 
This is evident, first, from the very nature of the case. The command 
to obey magistrates is, from its nature, a command to obey them as ma- 
gistrates in the exercise of their rightful authority. They are not to be 
obeyed as priests or as parents, but as civil rulers. No one doubts that 
the precept, " Children, obey your parents in all things," is a command 
to obey them in the exercise of their rightful parental authority, and im- 
poses no obligation to implicit and passive obedience. A parent who 
should claim the power of a sovereign over his children, would have no 
right to their obedience. The case is still plainer with regard to the 
command, " Wives, submit to your own husbands." Secondly, from 
the fact that the same inspired men who enjoin, in such general terms, 
obedience to rulers, themselves uniformly and openly disobeyed them 
whenever their commands were inconsistent with other and higher obli- 
gations. "We ought to obey God rather than men," was the principle 
which the early Christians avowed, and on which they acted. They 

isobeyed the Jewish and heathen authorities whenever they required 



312 ROMANS I?.: 1—14. 

them to do any tiling contrary to the will of God, There are cases 
therefore, in which disobedience is a duty. How far the rightful au- 
thority of rulers extends, the precise point at which the obligation tc 
obedience ceases must often be a difficult question, and each case must 
be decided on its own merits. The same difficulty exists in fixing the 
limits of the authority of parents over their children, husbands over their 
wives, masters over their servants. This, however, is rather a theoreti- 
cal than a practical difficulty. The general principles on which the 
question in regard to any given case is to be decided are sufficiently plain. 
No command to do anything morally wrong can be binding; nor can 
any which transcends the rightful authority of the power whence it ema- 
nates. What that rightful authority is, must be determined by the insti- 
tutions and laws of the land, or from prescription and usage, or from the 
nature and design of the office with which the magistrate is invested. 
The right of deciding on all these points, and determining where the 
obligation to obedience ceases, and the duty of resistance begins, must, 
from the nature of the case, rest with the subject, and not with the ruler. 
The apostles and early Christians decided this point for themselves, and 
did not leave the decision with the Jewish or Roman authorities. Like 
all other questions of duty, it is to be decided on our responsibility to 
God and our fellow men, vs. 1 — 7. 

4. The design of civil government is not to promote the advantage of 
rulers, but of the ruled. They are ordained and invested with authority 
to be a terror to evil doers, and a praise to them that do well. They are 
the ministers of God for this end, and are appointed for " this very thing." 
On this ground our obligation to obedience rests, and the obligation ceases 
when this design is systematically, constantly, and notoriously disre- 
garded. Where unfaithfulness on the part of the government exists, or 
where the form of it is incompatible with the design of its institution, 
the governed must have a right to remedy the evil. But they cannot 
have the moral right to remedy one evil by the production of a greater. 
And, therefore, as there are few greater evils than instability and uncer- 
tainty in governments, the cases in which revolutions are justifiable must 
be exceedingly rare, vs. 3 — 7. 

5. The proper sphere of civil government is the civil and social rela- 
tions of men, and their temporal welfare; conscience, and of course reli- 
gion, are beyond its jurisdiction, except so far as the best interests of 
civil society are necessarily connected with them. What extent of 
ground this exception covers ever has been, and probably will ever re- 
main, a matter of dispute. Still it is to be remembered that it is an 
exception ; religion and morality, as such, are not within the legitimate 
sphere of the civil authority. To justify the interference of the civil 
government, therefore, in any given case with these important subjects, 
an exception must be made out. It must be shown that an opinion, or a 
religion, is not only false, but that its prevalence is incompatible with 
the rights of those members of the community who are not embraced 



ROMANS 13: 1—14. Si3 

within its communion, before the civil authority can be authorized to 
interfere for its suppression. It is then to be suppressed, not as a reli- 
gion, but as a public nuisance. God has ordained civil government for the 
promotion of the welfare of men as members of the same civil society ; 
and parental government, and the instruction and discipline of the church, 
for their moral and religious improvement. And the less interference 
there is between these two great institutions, in the promotion of their 
respective objects, the better. We do not find in the New Testament 
any commands addressed to magistrates with regard to the suppression 
of heresies, or the support of the truth ; nor, on the other hand, do we 
meet with any directions to the church to interfere with matters pertain- 
ing to the civil government, vs. 3 — 6. 

6. The discharge of all the social and civil duties of life is, to the 
Christian, a matter of religious obligation, vs. 5 — 7. 



1. The Christian religion is adapted to all states of society, and all 
forms of civil government. As the Spirit of God, when it enters any 
human heart, leaves unmolested what is peculiar to its individual charac- 
ter, as far as it is innocent, and effects the reformation of what is evil, 
not by violence, but by a sweetly constraining influence ; so the religion 
of Christ, when it enters any community of men, does not assail their 
form of government, whether despotic or free ; and if there is any thing 
in their institutions inconsistent with its spirit, it is changed by its silent 
operation on the heart and conscience, rather than by direct denunciation. 
It has thus, without rebellion or violent convulsions, curbed the exercise 
of despotic power, and wrought the abolition of slavery throughout the 
greater part of Christendom, vs. 1 — 14. 

2. The gospel is equally hostile to tyranny and anarchy. It teaches 
rulers that they are ministers of God for the public good ; and it teaches 
subjects to be obedient to magistrates, not only for fear, but also for con- 
science' sake, v. 5. 

3. God is to be recognised as ordering the affairs of civil society. 
" He removeth kings, and he setteth up kings ;" by him " kings reign, 
and princes decree justice." It is enough, therefore, to secure the obe- 
dience of the Christian, that in the providence of God, he finds the power 
of government lodged in certain hands. The early Christians would 
have been in constant perplexity, had it been incumbent on them, amidst 
the frequent poisonings and assassinations of the imperial palace, the 
tumults of the pretorian guards, and the proclamation by contending 
armies of rival candidates, to decide on the individual who had de jure 
the power of the sword, before they could conscientiously obey, 
vs. 1 — 5. 

4. When rulers become a terror to the good, and a praise to them that 
do evil, they may still be tolerated and obeyed, not however of right, but 
because the remedy may be worse than the disease, vs. 3, 4. 

2D 



314 ROMANS 14: 1— '23 

5. Did genuine Christian love prevail, it would secure the right 
discharge, not only of the duties of rulers towards their subjects and of 
subjects towards their rulers, but of all the relative social duties of life ; 
for he that loveth another fulfilleth the law, vs. 7, 8. 

6. The nearness of eternity should operate on all Christians as a motive 
to purity and devotedness to God. The night is far spent, the day is at 
hand, now is our salvation nearer than when we believed, vs. 13, 14. 

7. All Christian duty is included in putting on the Lord Jesus ; in 
being like him, having that similarity of temper .and conduct which 
results from being intimately united to him by the Holy Spirit, v. 14. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



CONTENTS. 



As in chapter 12, Paul had insisted principally upon moral and reli- 
gious duties, and in chapter 13, on those of a political character, he here 
treats particularly of the duties of church members towards each other, 
in relation to matters nx)t binding on the conscience. There are two 
points specially presented ; the first is the manner in which scrupulous 
Christians, who make conscience of matters of indifference, are to be 
treated, vs. 1 — 12; and the second, the manner in which those who are 
strong in faith should use their Christian liberty, vs. 13 — 23. 

CHAP. 14: 1—23. 

*Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, lut not to doubtful disputa- 
tions. ^For one believeth that he may eat all things : another, who is 
weak, eateth herbs. ^Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth 
not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God 
hath received him. ^Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? 
to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up : 
for God is able to make him stand. ^One man esteemeth one day above 
another : another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully 
persuaded in his own mind. ^He that regardeth the day, regardeth it 
unto the Lord ; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth 
not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God 
thanks ; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth 
God thanks. Tor none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to 
himself. ^For whether we live, we live unto the Lord ; and whether we 
die, we die unto the Lord : whether we live therefore, or die, we are the 
Lord's. ^For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that 
he might be Lord both of the dead and living. i^But why dost thou 



ROMANS 14: 1—23. 315 

judge thy brother ? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother 1 for we 
shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. ^*For it is written, 
^s I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue 
shall confess to God. ^^So then every one of us shall give account of 
himself to Ood. *^Let us not therefore judge one another any more : 
but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion 
to fall in his brother's way. "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord 
Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth 
any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. "But if thy brother be 
grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not 
him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. ^^Let not then your good be 
evil spoken of: ^''j'or the kingdom of God is not meat and drink ; but 
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. *®For he that in 
these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 
*9Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and 
things wherewith one may edify another. ^opQj. meat destroy not the 
work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man 
who eateth with offence. ^'^It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink 
wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is 
made weak, ^sjjast thou faith"? have it to thyself before God. Happy 
is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 
^^And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of 
feiith : for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. 

ANALYSIS. 

Scrupulous Christians, whose consciences are weak, are to be kindly 
received, and not harshly condemned, v. 1. This direction the apostle 
enforces in reference to those who were scrupulous as to eating particular 
kinds of meat, and the propriety of neglecting the sacred days appointed 
in the law of Moses. Such persons are not to be condemned, 1 . Because 
tfiis weakness is not inconsistent with piety; notwithstanding their 
doubts on these points, God has received them, v. 3. 2. Because one 
Christian has no right to judge another (except where Christ has ex- 
pressly authorized it and given him the rule of judgment) ; to his own 
master he stands or falls, v. 4. 3. Because such harsh treatment is 
unnecessary ; God can and will preserve such persons, notwithstanding 
their feebleness, v. 4. 4. Because they act religiously, or out of regard 
to God in this matter ; and therefore, live according to the great Christian 
principle, that no man liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself, but 
whether he lives or dies belongs to God, vs. 6 — 9. On these grounds 
we should abstain from condemning or treating contemptuously our 
weaker brethren, remembering that we are all to stand before the judg- 
ment-seat of Christ, vs. 10 — 12. 

As to the use of Christian liberty, the apostle teaches that it is not to 
be given up or denied ; that is, we are not to make things sinful which 
are in themselves indifferent, v. 14. But it does not follow that because 



816 ROMANS 14: 1—23. 

a thing is not wrong in itself, it is right for us to indulge in it. Oui 
liberty is to be asserted, but it is to be exercised in such a way as not to 
injure others. We must not put a stumbling-block in our brother's way, 
V. 12. This consideration of others in the use of our liberty is enforced, 

1. From the great law of love ; it is inconsistent with Christian charity, 
for our own gratification, to injure a brother for whom Christ died, v. 15. 

2. From a regard to the honour of religion. We must not cause that 
which is good to be evil spoken of, v. 16. 3. From the consideration 
that religion does not consist in such things, vs. 17, 18. 4. Because we 
are bound to promote the peace and edification of the church, v. 19. 

5. Though the things in question may be in themselves indifferent, it is 
morally wrong to indulge in them to the injury of others, vs. 20, 21, 

6. The course enjoined by the apostle requires no concession of princi- 
ple, or adoption of error; we can retain our full belief of the indifference. 
of things which God has not pronounced sinful ; but those who have not 
our faith cannot act upon it, and therefore, should not be encouraged so to 
do, vs. 22, 23. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) Him that is weak in faith receive, hut not to doubtful disputafioruf. 
This verse contains the general direction that weak and scrupulous bre- 
thren are to be kindly received, and not harshly condemned. TVeak in 
faith, i. e. weak as to faith. Faith here means persuasion of the truth ; 
a man may have a strong persuasion as to certain truths, and a very weak 
one as to others. Some of the early Christians were, no doubt, fully 
convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, and yet felt great doubts whether 
the distinction between clean and unclean meats was entirely done away. 
This was certainly a great defect of Christian character, and arose from 
the want of an intelligent and firm conviction of the gratuitous nature of 
justification, and of the spirituality of the gospel. Since, however, this 
weakness was not inconsistent with religion, such persons were to be 
received. The word rendered receive has the general signification to take 
to one-self; and this is its meaning here. ' Him that is weak in faith 
take to yourselves as a Christian brother, treat him kindly;" see Acts 
28: 2. Rom. 15 : 7. Philem. vs. 15, 17. 

There is much more doubt as to the meaning of the words translated 
not to doubtful disputations. The former of the two important words of 
this clause means the faculty of discrimination, 1 Cor. 12 : 10; th,e act 
of discerning, Heb. 5 : 14, and then dijudication, judgment. It may 
also signify doubt or inward conflict; see the use of the verb in ch. 4 : 
20. It is taken in this sense in our version, not to the doubtfulness of 
disputes, i. e. not for the purpose of doubtful disputation. The word 
rendered disputations means also thoughts, opinions. The clause may 
therefore mean not to the judging of (his) opinions, i. e. not for the 
purpose of judging his opinions ; do not act the part of a judge over him. 
This sense seems preferable en account of the context, as Paul enforces. 



ROMANS 14: 1—23. 317 

this direction by showing them that they had no right to sit in judgment 
on their brethren in such matters. 

(3) For one believeth he may eat all things : another, who is weak, 
eateth herbs. This is an iUustration of the weakness of faith to which 
the apostle refers in v. 1. It was a scrupulousness about the use of 
things considered as unclean, and with regard to sacred days, v. 5. It is 
most probable that the scrupulous Christians, to whom the apostle here 
refers, were of Jewish origin, who had not been able to shake off their 
early opinions respecting the distinction between clean and unclean 
meats. The fact that they abstained from all meat, as seems to be inti- 
mated in this verse, may have arisen from the constant apprehension of 
eating meat which, after having been presented in sacrifice, was sold in 
the market place, or which had in some other way been rendered 
unclean,* 

(3) Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not ; and let not 
him which eateth not Judge him that eateth ; for God hath received 
him. There is mutual forbearance to be exercised in relation to this sub- 
ject. The strong are not to despise the weak as superstitious and imbe- 
cile ; nor the weak to condemn those who disregard their scruples. 
Points of indifference are not to be allowed to disturb the harmony of 
Christian fellowship. For God hath received him, i. e. God has recog- 
nised him as a Christian, and received him into his kingdom. This rea- 
son is not designed to enforce merely the latter of the two duties here 
enjoined, but is applied to both. As God does not make eating or not 
eating certain kinds of food a condition of acceptance, Christians ought 
not to allow it to interfere with their communion as brethren. 

(4) TVho art thou that judgest another man's servant ? to his own 
master he standeth or falleth. If God has not made the point in question 
a term of communion, we; have no right to do so ; we have no right to 
exercise the office of judge over the servant of another. This is the 
second reason for mutual forbearance with regard to such matters as 
divided the Jewish and Gentile converts. It cannot fail to be remarked 
how differently the apostle speaks of the same things under different cir- 
cumstances. He who circumcised Timothy, who conformed in many 
things to the law of Moses, and to the Jews became a Jew, and who here 
exhorts Christians to regard their external observances as matters of 
indifference, resisted to the uttermost as soon as these things were urged 
as matters of importance, or were insisted upon as necessary to acceptance 
with God. He would not allow Titus to be circumcised, nor give place 
even for an hour to false brethren, who had come in privily to spy out 
our liberty. Gal. 2 ; 3, 5. What might be safely granted, if asked 
and given as a matter of indifference, became a fatal apostasy when 
demanded as a matter of necessity or a condition of salvation. 

* Josephus states in his life (ch. 23) that certain Jewish priests, while at Rome, 
ived entirely upon fruit, from the dread of eating any thing unclean. 

3 D 2 



318 ROMANS 14: 1—23. 

To his own master he siandeth or falleth, i. e. it belongs to his own 
master to decide his case, to acquit or to condemn. These terms are often 
used in this judicial sense, Ps. 1:5. 76 • 7. Luke 21 : 36. Rev. 6 : 17. 
Pea, he shall he holden up : for God is abie to make him stand, i. e. he 
shall stand, or be accepted, for God has the right and the will to make 
him stand, that is, to acquit and save him. This clause seems designed 
to urge a further reason for forbearance and kindness towards those who 
differ from us on matters of indifference. However weak a man's faith 
may be, if he is a Christian, he should be recognised and treated as such : 
for his weakness is not inconsistent with his acceptance with God, and 
therefore is no ground of necessity for our proceeding against him with 
severity. The objects of discipline are the reformation of oflfenders and 
the purification of the church ; but neither of these objects requires the 
condemnation of those brethren whom God has received. " God is able 
to make him stand;" he has not only the power, but the disposition and 
determination. Compare ch. 11 : 23, " For God is able to graft them in 
again." 

(5) One man esteemeth one day above another ; another esteemeth 
every day alike. As the law of Moses not only made a distinction 
between meats as clean and unclean, but also prescribed the observance 
of certain days as religious festivals, the Jewish converts were as scru- 
pulous with regard to this latter point as the former. Some Christians, 
therefore, thought it incumbent on them to observe these days ; others 
were of a contrary opinion. Both were to be tolerated. The veneration 
of these days was a weakness, but still it was not a vital matter, and 
therefore should not be allowed to disturb the harmony of Christian 
intercourse, or the peace of the church. It is obvious from the context, 
and from such parallel passages as Gal. 4 : 10, " Ye observe days, and 
months, and times, and years," and Col. 2 : 16, " Let no man judge you 
in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or 
of Sabbath days," that Paul has reference to the Jewish festivals, and 
therefore his language cannot properly be applied to the Christian Sab- 
bath. The sentiment of the passage is this, ' One man observes the 
Jewish festivals, another man does not.' Such we know was the fact in 
the apostolic church, even among those who agreed in the observance of 
the first day of the week. 

Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. The principle, 
which the apostle enforces in reference to this case, is the same as that 
which he enjoined in relation to the other, viz. that one man should not 
be forced to act according to another man's conscience, but every one 
should be satisfied in his own mind, and be careful not to do what he 
thought wrong. 

(6) He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord,- and he 
that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that 
eateth, eateth to the Lord, &c. That is, both parties are actuated by reli- 

ious motives in what they do ; they regulate their conduct by a regard 



ROMANS 14: 1—23. 319 

to the will of God, and, therefore, although some from weakness or igno- 
rance may err as to the rule of duty, they are not to be despised or cast 
out as evil. The strong should not condemn the scrupulous, nor the 
scrupulous be censorious towards the strong. This is a fourth argument 
in favour of the mutual forbearance enjoined in the first verse. He that 
eateth^ eateth to the Lord ; for he giveth God thanks, &c. That is, he 
who disregards the Mosaic distinction between clean and unclean meats, 
and uses indiscriminately the common articles of food, acts religiously in 
so doing, as is evident from his giving God thanks. He could not deli- 
berately thank God for what he supposed God had forbidden him to use. 
In like manner, he that abstains from certain meats does it religiously, 
for he also giveth thanks to God ; which implies that he regards himself 
as acting agreeably to the divine will. 

(7) For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 
This verse is an amplification and confirmation of the preceding. The 
principle on which both the classes of persons just referred to acted, is a 
true Christian principle. No Christian considers himself as his own 
master, or at liberty to regulate his conduct according to his own will, or 
for his own ends; he is the servant of God, and, therefore, endeavours to 
live according to his will and for his glory. They, therefore, who act on 
this principle, are to be regarded and treated as true Christians, although 
they may differ as to what the will of God, in particular cases, requires. 
No man dieth to himself, i. e. death as well as life must be left in the 
hands of God, to be directed by his will and for his glory. The senti- 
ment is, we are entirely his, having no authority over our life or death. 

(8) For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die^ 
we die unto the Lord- whether we live, therefore, or die, lue are the 
Lord's. The same sentiment as in the preceding verse, rather more fully 
and explicitly stated. In v. 7, Paul had stated, negatively, that the 
Christian does not live according to his own will, or for his own plea- 
sure ; he here states, affirmatively, that he does live according to the will 
of Christ and for his glory. This being the case, he is a true Christian ; 
he belongs to Christ, and should be so recognised and treated. It is very 
obvious, especially from the following verse, which speaks of death and 
resurrection, that Christ is intended by the word Lord in this verse. It 
is for Christ, and in subjection to his will, that every Christian endea- 
vours to regulate his heart, his conscience, and his life. This is the pro- 
foundest homage the creature can render to his Creator ; and as it is the 
service which the Scriptures require us to render to the Redeemer, it of 
necessity supposes that Christ is God. This is rendered still plainer by 
the interchange, throughout the passage (vs. 6 — 9), of the terras Lord 
and God. * He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks. 
We live unto the Lord ; we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died 
and rose, that he might be the Lord,' &c. It is clear that, to the apostle's 
mind, the idea that Christ is God was perfectly familiar. 

(9) For to this end Christ both diedf and rose, and revived, that he 



320 ROMANS 14; 1—23. 

might he Lord both of the dead and living. The dominion which 
Christ, as Mediator or Redeemer, exercises over his people, and which 
they gladly recognise, is the result of his death and resurrection. By 
his death he purchased them for his own, and by his resurrection he at- 
tained to that exalted station which he now occupies as Lord over all, 
and received those gifts which enable him to exercise as Mediator this 
universal dominion. The exaltation and dominion of Christ are fre- 
quently represented in the Scriptures as the reward of his sufferings, 
" Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name 
which is above every name ; that at the name of Jesus every knee should 
bow," &c. Phil. 2: 8, 9. This authority of Christ over his people is 
not confined to this world, but extends beyond the grave. He is Lord 
both of the dead and the living. 

(10) But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at 
naught thy brother ? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of 
Christ. In this and the following verses, to the thirteenth, Paul applies 
his previous reasoning to the case in hand. If a man is our brother, if 
God has received him, if he acts from a sincere desire to do the divine 
will, he should not be condemned, though he may think certain things 
right which we think wrong; nor should he be despised if he trammels 
his conscience with unnecessary scruples. The former of these clauses 
relates to scrupulous Jewish Christians ; the latter to the Gentile con- 
verts. The last member of the verse applies to both classes. As we 
are all to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, as he is our sole and 
final judge, we should not usurp his prerogative, or presume to condemn 
those whom he has received. 

(11) For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall 
how to me, and every tongue shall confess. This quotation is from Isa 
45 : 23, " I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in 
righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, 
and every tongue shall swear." The apostle, it will be perceived, does 
not adhere to the words of the passage which he quotes, but contents 
himself with giving the sense. As I live, being the form of an oath, is 
a correct exhibition of the meaning of the phrase / have sworn by myself. 
And, since to swear by any being is to recognise his power and authority 
over us, the expressions every tongue shall swear and every tongue shall 
confess are of similar import. Both indeed are parallel to the clause 
every knee shall bow, and are but different forms of expressing the general 
idea that every one shall submit to God, i. e. recognise his authority as 
God, the supreme Ruler and Judge. The apostle evidently considers 
the recognition of the authority of Christ as being tantamount to submis- 
sion to God ; and he applies, without hesitation, the declarations of the 
Old Testament in relation to the universal dominion of Jehovah in proof 
of the Redeemer's sovereignty. With him, therefore, Jesus Christ was 
God. 

(12) S» then every one of us shall give account of himself to God 



ROMANS 14: 1—23. 321 

* As, therefore, God is the supreme Judge, and we are to render our ac- 
count to him, we should await his decision, and not presume to act the 
part of judge over our brethren.' 

(13) Let us not, therefore, judge one another any more; but judge 
this, rather, that no man put a stumMing'hlock, or an occasion to fall, 
in his brother^s way. After drawing the conclusion from the preceding 
discussion that we should leave the office of judging- in the hands of 
God, the apostle introduces the second leading topic of the chapter, viz. 
the manner in which Christian liberty is to be exercised. He teaches 
that it is not enough that we are persuaded a certain course is, in itself 
considered, right, in order to authorize us to pursue it. We must be 
careful that we do not injure others in the use of our liberty. The word 
rendered judge means also to determine, to make up one's mind. Paul 
uses it first in the one sense, and then in the other. ' Do not judge one 
another, but determine to avoid giving ofience.' The words rendered a 
stumbling-block and an occasion to fall do not differ in their meaning ; the 
latter is simply exegetical of the former. 

(14) / know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is no- 
thing unckan of itself ,' but to him that esteemeih any thing to be un- 
clean, to him it is unclean. ' The distinction between clean and un- 
clean meats is no longer valid. So far the Gentile converts are right. 
But they should remember that those who consider the law of the Old 
Testament on this subject as still binding, cannot, with a good con- 
science, disregard it. The strong should not, therefore, do any thing 
which would be likely to lead such persons to violate their own sense of 
duty.' I know and am persuaded by (in) the Lord Jesus, i. e. this know- 
ledge and persuasion I owe to the Lord Jesus ; it is not an opinion 
founded on my own reasonings, but a knowledge resulting from divine 
revelation. That there is nothing unclean of itself. The word ren- 
dered unclean has this sense only in Hellenistic Greek. It means com- 
mon, and, as opposed to holy (i. e. separated for some special or sacred 
use), it signifies impure ; see Acts 10 ; 14, 28. Mark 7 : 2, &c. £ut to 
him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean, i. e. 
though not unclean in itself, it ought not to be used by those who regard 
its use as unlawful. The simple principle here taught is, that it is wrong 
for any man to violate his own sense of duty. This being the case, 
those Jewish converts who believed the distinction between clean and 
unclean meats to be still in force, would commit sin in disregarding it; 
and, therefore, should not be induced to act contrary to their consciences. 

(15) But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou 
not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died 
That is, though the thing is right in itself, yet if indulgence in it be in- 
jurious to our Christian brethren, that indulgence is a violation of the 
law of love. This is the first consideration which the apostle urges lo 
enforce the exhortation not to put a stumbling-block in our brother's way 
The word is grieved may mean is injured. E ither sense suits the context 



322 ROMANS 14: 1—23. 

* If thy brother, imboldened by thy example, is led to do what he thinks 
wrong-, and is thus rendered miserable,' &c. Or, 'If thy brother, by thy 
example, is injured (by being led into sin), thou walkest uncharitably.' 
This interpretation is perhaps better suited to the latter clause of the verse. 
Destroy not. These words have been variously explained. The mean- 
ing may be, ' Do not do any thing which has a tendency to lead him to 
destruction.' Or, ' Do not injure him, or render him miserable.' There 
is no material difference between these two interpretations. The former 
is more consistent with the common meaning of the original word, but 
the latter is better suited to the context, as this clause answers to the 
first member of the verse. 'If thy brother be aggrieved, thou doest 
wrong; do not grieve or injure him.' For whom Christ died. This is 
most effectively added. ' If Christ so loved him as to die for him, how 
base in you not to submit to the smallest self-denial for his welfare.' 

(16) Let not your good he evil spoken of,, i. e. ' Do not so use your 
liberty, which is good and valuable, as to make it the occasion of evil, 
and so liable to censure.' This interpretation is better suited to the con- 
.,ext than that which makes the good here intended to be the Christian 
religion generally; 'Let not religion be reproached on account of dissen- 
sion on such minor points.' The general idea, however, is the same. 
*Do not subject the truth to unmerited obloquy.' 

(17) For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink ; but righteous- 
ness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. This is a new reason for 
forbearance; no principle of duty is to be sacrificed, nothing essential to 
religion is to be disregarded, for religion does not consist in external ob- 
servances, but in the inward graces of the Spirit. The phrase kingdom 
of God almost uniformly signifies the kingdom of the Messiah, under 
some one of its aspects, as consisting of all professing Christians, of all 
his own people, of glorified believers, or as existing in the heart. " The 
kingdom of God is within you ;" see also 1 Cor. 4 : 20. This last sense 
best suits this passage, ' Religion does not consist in the external observ- 
ance, but in the graces of the Spirit.' Righteousness, peace and joy in 
the Holy Ghost. The last words, in the Holy Ghost, pertain to the 
whole clause. Religion consists in that righteousness, peace and joy, of 
which the Holy Ghost is the author. The word righteousness is to be 
taken in its common sense, moral excellence, goodness, peace, not exclu- 
sively concord with brethren, but that inward peace of conscience, and 
peace with God, which is the attendant on reconciliation (Rom. 5 : 1) ; 
and joy resulting from a sense of the divine favour and the anticipation 
of future blessedness. 

(18) For he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God and 
approved of men. This verse is a confirmation of the preceding. These 
spiritual graces constitute the essential part of religion ; for he that expe- 
riences and exercises these virtues, is regarded by God as a true Chris- 
tian, and must commend himself as such to the consciences of his fellow 
men. Where these things, therefore, are found, difference of opinion ox 



ROMANS 14: 1—23. 323 

practice in reference to unessential points should not be allowed to disturb 
the harmony of Christian intercourse. It is to be observed that the 
exercise of the virtues here spoken of, is represented by the apostle as a 
service rendered to Christ; "he that in these things serveth Christ, 
&c.," which implies that Christ has authority over the heart and con- 
science. 

(19) Let us, therefore, follow after the things which make for peace, 
and things wherehy one may edify another. That is, let us earnestly 
endeavour to promote peace and mutual edification. The things which 
make for peace is equivalent to peace itself, and things wherewith one 
may edify another is mutual edification. This verse is not an inference 
from the immediately preceding, as though the meaning were, ' Since 
peace is so acceptable to God, therefore let us cultivate it ;' but rather 
from the whole passage. ' Since Christian love, the example of Christ, 
the comparative insignificance of the matters in dispute, the honour of 
the truth, the nature of real religion, all conspire to urge us to mutual 
forbearance, let us endeavour to promote peace and mutual edification.' 

(20) For meat destroy not the work of God. This clause is, by 
many commentators, considered as a repetition of v. 15. "Destroy not 
him with thy meat, for whom Christ died." The work of God then 
means a Christian brother ; see Eph. 2: 10. Others much more natu- 
rally refer the passage to the immediately preceding verses, in which the 
nature of true religion is exhibited. The work of God, in that case, is 
piety, and the exhortation is, 'Do not, for the sake of indulgence in 
certain kinds of food, injure the cause of true religion, i. e. pull not down 
what God is building up.' The figurative expression used by the apostle 
(^pull not down), shows that the reference is to the preceding verse; 
compare Gal. 2 : 18. 

.^11 things indeed are pure ,• but it is evil for that man who eateih 
with offence. The ground on which forbearance is urged, is not that the 
things in question are in themselves evil, but solely that the use of them 
is injurious to others. 'All articles of food are in themselves innocent, 
but it is wrong in any man so to use them as to give offence, i. e. as to 
cause others to stumble.' With offence, i. e. offensively, so as to give 
offence. The same sentiment occurs in 1 Cor. 8: 9, "But take heed, 
lest by any means this liberty become a stumbling-block to them that are 
weak." 

(21) It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, norzny thing 
whereby thy brother stumhleth, or is offended, or is made weak. That 
is, abstaining from flesh, wine, or any thing else which is injurious to our 
brethren, is right, i. e. morally obligatory. The words stumbleth, offended, 
made weak, do not in this connexion, differ much from each other. The 
ground on which some of the early Christians thought it incumbent on 
them to abstain from wine, was not any general ascetic principle, but be- 
cause they feared they might be led to use wine which had been offered 
to the gods ; to which they had the same objection as to meat which had 
been presented in sacrifice. 



324 ROMANS 14: 1—23. 

(22) Hast thou faith ? have it thyself before God. Happy is he thai 
condemneih not himself in that which he alloweth. Paul presents in this 
verse, more distinctly than he had before done, the idea that he required 
no concession of principle or renunciation of truth. He did not wish 
them to believe a thing to be sinful which was not sinful, or to trammel 
their own consciences with the scruples of their weaker brethren. He 
simply required them to use their liberty in a considerate and charitable 
manner. He therefore, here says, ' Hast thou faith ? (i. e. a firm persua- 
sion of the lawfulness of all kinds of meat) it is well, do not renounce it, but 
retain it and use it piously as in the sight of God.' 'By faith here seems 
clearly to be understood the faith of which Paul had been speaking in the 
context ; a faith which some Christians had, and others had not, viz. a firm 
belief " that there is nothing (no meat) unclean of itself." Have it to 
thyself keep it to yourself. There are two ideas included in this 
phrase. The first is, keep it privately, i. e. do not parade it, or make it 
a point to show that you are above the weak scruples of your brethren ; 
and the second is, that this faith or firm conviction is not to be renounced, 
but retained, for it is founded on the truth. Before God, i. e. in the sight 
of God. It is to be cherished in our hearts, and used in a manner 
acceptable to God. Being right in itself, it is to be piously, and not os- 
tentatiously or injuriously paraded and employed. 

Blessed is he that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth. 
That is, blessed is the man that has a good conscience ; who does not 
allow himself to do what he secretly condemns. The faith, therefore, 
of which the apostle had spoken, is a great blessing. It is a source of 
great happiness to be sure that what we do is right, and, therefore, the 
firm conviction to which some Christians had attained, was not to be 
undervalued or renounced. Compare ch. 1 : 28. 1 Cor, 16 : 3, for a simi- 
lar use of the word here employed. 

(23) But he that doubt eth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not 
of faith; for whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. That is, if a man 
thinks a thing to be wrong, to him it is wrong. He therefore who is 
uncertain whether God has commanded him to abstain from certain 
meats, and who notwithstanding indulges in them, evidently sins; he 
brings himself under condemnation. Because whatever is not of faith is 
sin : i. e. whatever we do which we are not sure is right, is wrong 
The sentiment of this verse therefore is nearly the same as of v. 14. 
" To him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean." 
There is evidently a sinful disregard of the divine authority on the part 
of a man who does any thing which he supposes God has forbidden, or 
which he is not certain he has allowed. This passage has an obvious 
bearing on the design of the apostle. He wished to convince the 
stronger Christians that it was unreasonable in them to expect their 
weaker brethren to act according to their faith ; and that it was sinful in 
them so to use their liberty as to induce these scrupulous Christians to 
violate their own consciences. 



ROMANS 14: 1—23. 325 

DOCTRINES. 

■ 1. The fellowship of the saints is not to be broken for unessential 
matters ; in other words, we have no right to make any thing a term of 
Christian communion which is not inconsistent with piety. Paul evi- 
dently argues on the principle that if a man is a true Christian he should 
be recognised and treated as such. If God has received him, we should 
receive him, vs. 1 — 12. 

2. The true criterion of a Christian character is found in the governing 
purpose of the life. He that lives unto the Lord, i. e. he who makes the 
will of God the rule of his conduct, and the glory of God his constant 
object is a true Christian, although from weakness or ignorance he may 
sometimes mistake the rule of duty, and consider certain things obliga- 
tory which God has never commanded, vs. 6 — 8. 

3. Jesus Christ must be truly God, 1. Because he is the Lord, accord- 
ing to whose will and for whose glory we are to live, vs. 6 — 8. 2. Because 
he exercises an universal dominion over the living and the dead, v. 9. 
3. Because he is the final judge of all men, v. 10. 4. Because passages 
of the Old Testament which are spoken of Jehovah, are by the apostle 
applied to Christ, v. 11. 5. Because, throughout this passage, Paul 
speaks of God and Christ indiscriminately, in a manner which shows that 
he regarded Christ as God. To live unto Christ is to live unto God ; to 
stand before the judgment seat of Christ is to give an account unto God ; 
to submit to Christ is to bow the knee to Jehovah. 

4. The gospel does not make religion to consist in external observ- 
ances. " Meat commendeth us not to God ; for neither if we eat are we 
the better ; neither if we eat not are we the worse," vs. 6, 7. 

5. Though a thing may be lawful, it is not always expedient. The 
use of the liberty which every Christian enjoys under the gospel, is to 
be regulated by the law of love ; hence it is often morally wrong to do 
what, in itself considered, may be innocent, vs. 15, 20, 21. 

6. It is a great error in morals, and a great practical evil, to make that 
sinful which is in fact innocent. Christian love never requires this or 
any other sacrifice of truth. Paul would not consent, for the sake of 
avoiding offence, that eating all kinds of food, even what had been 
offered to idols, or disregarding sacred festivals of human appoint- 
ment, should be made a sin ; he strenuously and openly maintained 
the reverse. He represents those who thought differently as weak in 
faith, as being under an error from which more knowledge and more 
piety would free them. Concession to their weakness he enjoins on a 
principle perfectly consistent with the assertion of the truth, and with the 
preservation of Christian liberty, vs. 13 — 23. 

7. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. It is wrong to do any thing which 
we think to be wrong. The converse of this proposition, however, is not 
true. It is not always right to do what we think to be right. Paul, before 
his conversion, thought it right to persecute Christians ; the Jews thought 
thev did God service when they cast the disciples of the Saviour out of 

2E 



326 ROMANS 14: 1—23. 

the synagogue. The cases therefore are not parallel. When we do what 
we think God has forbidden, we are evidently guilty of disobedience or 
contempt of the divine authority. But when we do what we think he has 
required, we may act under a culpable mistake ; or, although we may 
have the judgment that the act in itself is right, our motives for doing it 
may be very wicked. The state of mind under which Paul and other 
Jews persecuted the early Christians was evil, though the persecution 
itself they regarded as a duty. It is impossible that a man should have 
right motives for doing a wrong action ; for the very mistake as to what 
is right vitiates the motives. The mistake implies a wrong state of 
mind ; and, on the other hand, the misapprehension of truth produces a 
wrong state of mind. There may, therefore, be a very sinful zeal for 
God and religion (see Rom. 10:2); and no man will be able to plead at 
the bar of judgment his good intention as an excuse for evil conduct, 
V. 23. 

REMARKS. 

1. Christians should not allow any thing to alienate them from their 
brethren, who afford credible evidence that they are the servants of God. 
Owing to ignorance, early prejudice, weakness of faith, and other causes, 
there may and must exist a diversity of opinion and practice on minor 
points of duty. But this diversity is no sufficient reason for rejecting 
from Christian fellowship any member of the family of Christ. It is, 
however, one thing to recognise a man as a Christian, and another to 
recognise him as a suitable minister of a church, organized on a particular 
form of government and system of doctrines, vs. 1 — 12. 

2. A denunciatory or censorious spirit is hostile to the spirit of the 
gospel. It is an encroachment on the prerogatives of the only Judge of 
the heart and conscience ; it blinds the mind to moral distinctions, and 
prevents the discernment between matters unessential and those vitally 
important ; and it leads us to forget our own accountableness, and to over- 
look our own faults in our zeal to denounce those of others, vs. 4 — 10. 

3. It is sinful to indulge contempt for those whom we suppose to be 
our inferiors, vs. 3, 10. 

4. Christians should remember that living or dying they are the Lord's. 
This imposes the obligation to observe his will and to seek his glory ; 
and it affords the assurance that the Lord will provide for all their wants. 
This peculiar propriety in his own people Christ has obtained by his 
death and resurrection, vs. 8, 9. 

5. We should stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us 
free, and not allow our consciences to be brought under the yoke of bond- 
age to human opinions. There is a strong tendency in men to treat, as 
matters of conscience, things which God has never enjoined. Wherevei 
this disposition has been indulged or submitted to, it has resulted in 
bringing one class of men under the most degrading bondage to another ; 
and in the still more serious evil of leading them to disregard the authority 



ROMANS 14: 1—32. 327 

of God. Multitudes who would be shocked at the thought of eating meat 
during Lent, comnait the greatest moral offences without the slightest 
compunction. It is, therefore, of great importance to keep the conscience 
free ; under no subjection but to truth and God. This is necessary, not 
only on account of its influence on our own moral feelings, but also 
because nothing but truth can really do good. To advocate even a good 
cause with bad arguments does great harm, by exciting unnecessary oppo- 
sition ; by making good men, who oppose the arguments, appear to oppose 
the cause ; by introducing a false standard of duty; by failing to enlist 
the support of an enlightened conscience, and by the necessary forfeiture 
of the confidence of the intelligent and well informed. The cause of bene- 
volence, therefore, instead of being promoted, is injured by all exaggera- 
tions, erroneous statements, and false principles on the part of its advo- 
cates, vs. 14, 23. 

6. It is obviously incumbent on every man to endeavour to obtain and 
promote right views of duty, not only for his own sake, but for the 
sake of others. It is often necessary to assert our Christian liberty at the 
expense of incurring censure and offending even good men, in order that 
right principles of duty may be preserved. Our Saviour consented to be 
regarded as a Sabbath-breaker, and even " a wine-bibber and friend of 
publicans and sinners;" but wisdom was justified of her children. 
Christ did not in these cases see fit to accommodate his conduct to the 
rule of duty set up, and conscientiously regarded as correct by those 
around him. He saw that more good would arise from a practical disre- 
gard of the false opinions of the Jews, as to the manner in which the 
Sabbath was to be kept, and as to the degree of intercourse which was 
allowed with wicked men, than from concession to their prejudices. 
Enlightened benevolence often requires a similar course of conduct, and 
a similar exercise of self-denial on the part of his disciples. 

7. While Christian liberty is to be maintained, and right principles of 
duty inculcated, every concession consistent with truth and good morals 
should be made for the sake of peace and the welfare of others. It is 
important, however, that the duty of making such concessions should be 
placed on the right ground, and be urged in a right spirit, not as a thing 
to be demanded, but as that which the law of love requires. In this way 
success is more certain and more extensive, and the concomitant results 
are all good. It may at times be a difficult practical question, whether 
most good would result from compliance with the prejudices of others, 
or from disregarding them. But where there is a sincere desire to do 
right, and a willingness to sacrifice our own inclinations for the good of 
others, connected with prayer for divine direction, there can be little dan- 
ger of serious mistake. Evil is much more likely to arise from a disre- 
gard to the opinions and the welfare of our brethren, and from a reliance 
on our own judgment, than from any course requiring self-denial, vs. 13, 
15,20,21. 

8 Conscience, or a sense of duty, is not the only, and perhaps not the 



328 ROMANS 15: 1—13. 

most important principle to be appealed to in support of benevolent enter- 
prises. It comes in aid, and gives its sanction to all other right motives, 
but we find the sacred writers appealing most frequently to the benevo- 
lent and pious feelings ; to the example of Christ; to a sense of our obli- 
gations to him ; to the mutual relation of Christians and their common 
connexion with the Redeemer, &c. as motives to self-denial and devoted- 
ness, vs. 15, 21. 

9. As the religion of the gospel consists in the inward graces of the 
Holy Spirit, all who have these graces should be recognised as genuine 
Christians ; being acceptable to God, they should be loved and cherished 
by his people, notwithstanding their weakness or errors, vs. 17, 18. 

10. The peace and edification of the church are to be sought at all 
sacrifices except those of truth and duty ; and the work of God is not to 
be destroyed or injured for the sake of any personal or party interest, 
vs. 19, 20. 

11. An enlightened conscience is a great blessing; it secures the 
liberty of the soul from bondage to the opinions of men, and from the 
self-inflicted pains of a scrupulous and morbid state of the moral feelings ; 
and it promotes the right exercise of all the virtuous aflfections, and the 
right discharge of all relative duties, v. 22. 



CHAPTER XV. 

CONTENTS. 

This chapter consists of two parts. In the former, vs. I — 13, the 
apostle enforces the duty urged in the preceding chapter by considera- 
tions derived principally from the example of Christ. In the latter part, 
vs. 14 — 33, we have the conclusion of the whole discussion, in which he 
speaks of his confidence in the Roman Christians, of his motives for 
writing to them, of his apostolical office and labours, and of his purpose 
to visit Rome after fulfilling his ministry for the saints at Jerusalem. 

CHAP. 15: 1—13. 

=^We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and 
not to please ourselves. ^Let every one of us please his neighbour for 
his good to edification. ^For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as 
it is written. The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. 
*For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learn- 
ing, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have 
hope. ^Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like- 



ROMANS 15: 1—13. 329 

minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus : ^that ye may 
with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. ^Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also re- 
ceived us to the glory of God. ^Now I say that Jesus Christ was a 
minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises 
made unto the fathers : %nd that the Gentiles might glorify God for his 
mercy ; as it is written. For this cause I will confess to thee among the 
Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. ^°And again he saith. Rejoice, ye 
Gentiles, with his people. ^^And again. Praise the Lord, all ye Gen- 
tiles ; and laud him, all ye people. ^^And again, Esaias saith. There 
shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles ; 
in him shall the Gentiles trust. ^^Now the God of hope fill you with 
all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the 
power of the Holy Ghost. 



The first verse of this chapter is a conclusion from the whole of the f 

preceding. On the grounds there presented Paul repeats the command 
that the strong should bear with the infirmities of the weak, and that, 
instead of selfishly regarding their own interests merely, they should 
endeavour to promote the welfare of their brethren, vs. 1, 2. This duty 
he enforces by the conduct of Christ, who has set us an example of per- 
fect disinterestedness, as what he suffered was not for himself, v. 3. 
This, and similar facts and sentiments recorded in the Scripture, are in- 
tended for our admonition, and should be applied for that purpose, v. 4. 
The apostle prays that God would bestow on them that harmony and 
unanimity which he had urged them to cultivate, vs. 5, 6. He repeats 
the exhortation that they should receive one another, even as Christ had 
received them, v. 7. He shows how Christ had received them, and 
united Jews and Gentiles in one body, vs. 8 — 13. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) We then tliat are strong ought to hear the infirmities of the 
weak^ and not to please ourselves. The separation of this passage from 
the preceding chapter is obviously unhappy, as there is no change in 
the subject. 'As the points of difference are not essential, as the law 
of love, the example of Christ, and the honour of religion require conces- 
sion, we that are fully persuaded of the indifference of those things about 
which our weaker brethren are so scrupulous, ought to accommodate 
ourselves to their opinions, and not act with a view to our own gratifica- 
tion merely.' We that are strong .• strong in reference to the subject of 
discourse, i. e. faith, especially faith in the Christian doctrine of the 
lawfulness of all kinds of food, and the abrogation of the Mosaic law. 
Ought to hear, i. e. ought to tolerate. The infirmities, that is, the preju- 
dices, errors, and faults which arise from weakness of faith. Compare 
1 Cor. 9 : 20 — 22, where the apostle illustrates this command by stating 

2e 2 



i 



330 ROMANS 15: 1—13. 

how he himself acted in relation to this subject. And not to please our' 
selves ,• we are not to do every thing- which we may have a right to do 
and make our own gratification the rule by which we exercise our Chris- 
tian liberty. 

(2) Let each one of us please his neighbour, for his good to edifica- 
tion. The principle which is stated negatively at the close of the pre- 
ceding verse, is here stated affirmatively. We are not to please our- 
selves, but others ; the law of love is to regulate our conduct ; we are 
not simply to ask what is right in itself, or what is agreeable, but what 
is benevolent and pleasing to our brethren. The object which we should 
have in view in accommodating ourselves to others, however, is their 
good. For good to edification most probably means with a view to his 
good, so that he may be edified. The latter words, to edification, are, 
therefore, explanatory of the former; the good we should contemplate is 
their religious improvement; which is the sense in which Paul frequently 
uses the word edification; ch. 14: 19. 2 Cor. 10: 8. Eph. 4: 12, 29. 
It is not, therefore, a weak compliance with the wishes of others to 
which Paul exhorts us, but to the exercise of an enlightened benevolence ; 
to such compliances as have the design and tendency to promote the spi- 
ritual welfare of our neighbour. 

(3) For even Christ pleased not himself hut as it is loritten, The re- 
proaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. * For even Christ, 
so infinitely exalted above all Christians, was perfectly disinterested and 
condescending.' The example of Christ is constantly held up, not 
merely as a model, but a motive. The disinterestedness of Christ is 
here illustrated by a reference to the fact, that he suffered not for himself, 
but for the glory of God. The sorrow which he felt was, not on account 
of his own privations and injuries, but zeal for God's service consumed 
him, and it was the dishonour which was cast on God that broke his 
heart. The simple point to be illustrated is the disinterestedness of 
Christ, the fact that he did not please himself. And this is most affect- 
ingly done by saying, in the language of the psalmist (Ps. 69 : 9), " The 
zeal of thy house hath eaten me up ; and the reproaches of them that 
reproached thee are fallen upon me ;" that is, such was my zeal for thee, 
that the reproaches cast on thee I felt as if directed against myself. This 
psalm is so frequently quoted and applied to Christ in the New Testa- 
ment, that it must be considered as directly prophetical. Compare John 
2 : 17. 15 : 25. 19 : 28. Acts 1 : 20. 

(4) For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for 
our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures, 
might have hope. The object of this verse is not so much to show the 
propriety of applying the passage quoted from the Psalms to Christ, as 
to show that the facts recorded in the Scriptures are designed for our 
instruction. The character of Christ is there portrayed, that we may fol- 
low his example, and imbibe his spirit. The words through patience 
and consolation of the scriptures may be taken together, and mean, 



ROMANS 15: 1—13. 331 

through that patience and consolation which the scriptures produce ;' or 
the words through patience may be disconnected from the word scrips 
tures, and the sense be, ' that we, through patience, and through the con- 
solation of the scriptures,' &c. The former method is the most com- 
nionly adopted, and is the most natural. Might have hope; this may 
mean that the design of the divine instructions is, to prevent all despond- 
ency, to sustain us under our present trials ; or the sense is, that they are 
intended to secure the attainment of the great object of our hopes, the 
blessedness of heaven. Either interpretation of the word hope is con- 
sistent with usage, and gives a good sense. 

(5) Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like 
minded one towards another, according to Jesus Christ. * May God, 
who is the author of patience and consolation, grant,' &c. Here the 
graces, which in the preceding verse are ascribed to the Scriptures, are 
attributed to God as their author, because he produces them by his Spi- 
rit through the instrumentality of the truth. Paul prays that God would 
grant them that concord and unanimity which he had so strongly ex- 
horted them to cherish. The expression to be like minded does not 
here refer to unanimity of opinion, but to harmony of feeling; see ch. 8 : 
5. 12:3. .Recording to Jesus Christ, i. e. agreeably to the example and 
command of Christ; in a Christian manner. It is, therefore, to a Chris- 
tian union that he exhorts them. 

(6) That ye may with one mind and with one mouth glorify God, 
even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This harmony and fellow- 
ship among Christians is necessary in order that they may glorify God 
aright. To honour God effectually and properly, there must be no un- 
necessary dissensions among his people. God, even the Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, means either that God who is the Father of the Lord 
Jesus ; or the God and Father of Christ. The latter is the more correct 
rendering. This expression occurs frequently in the New Testament ; 
see 2 Cor. 1:3. 11 : 31. Eph. 1 : 3. 1 Pet. 1:3. It means that God 
whom Jesus Christ acknowledged and served, and who stood to him in 
the relation of a Father. 

(7) Therefore receive ye one another, as Christ also hath received us, 
to the glory of God. The word rendered receive has the same sense 
here that it has in ch. 14: 1. * Take one another to yourselves, treat one 
another kindly, even as Christ has kindly taken us to himself.' The 
words to the glory of God may be connected with the first or second 
clause, or with both. ' Receive ye one another that God may be glori- 
fied ;' or ' as Christ has received us in order that God might be glorified ;' 
or, if referred to both clauses, the idea is, ' as the glory of God was illus- 
trated and promoted by Christ's reception of us, so also will it be exhibited 
by our kind treatment of each other.' The first method seems most con- 
sistent with the context, as the object of the apostle is to enforce the duty 
of mutual forbearance among Christians, for which he suggests two 



I 



332 ROMANS 15: 1—13. 

motives, the kindness of Christ towards us, and the promotion of the 
divine glory. 

(8) Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for 
the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. This 
verse follows as a confirmation or illustration of the preceding. Now 1 
say, i. e. this I mean. The apostle intends to show how it was that 
Christ had received those to whom he wrote. He had come to ministei 
to the Jews, v. 8, and also to cause the Gentiles to glorify God, v. 9 
The expression minister of the circumcision means a minister sent to the 
Jews, as ' apostle of the Gentiles' means ' an apostle sent to the Gentiles.' 
For the truth of God, i. e. to maintain the truth of God in the accomplish- 
ment of the promises made to the fathers, as is immediately added. 
Christ then had exhibited the greatest condescension and kindness in com- 
ing not as a Lord or ruler, but as an humble minister to the Jews, to 
accomplish the gracious promises of God. As this kindness was not 
confined to them, but as the Gentiles also were received into his kingdom 
and united with the Jews on equal terms, this example of Christ fur- 
nishes the strongest motives for the cultivation of mutual affection and 
unanimity. 

(9) And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. The 
grammatical connexion of this sentence with the preceding is not very 
clear. The most probable explanation is that which makes glorify depend 
upon / say, in v. 8. 'I say that Jesus Christ became a minister to the 
Jews, and I say the Gentiles glorify God ;' it was thus he received both. 
The mercy for which the Gentiles were to praise God, is obviously the 
great mercy of being received into the kingdom of Christ, and made par- 
takers of all its blessings. 

Jts it is written, I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing 
unto thy name, Ps. 18 : 49. In this and the following quotations from 
the Old Testament, the idea is more or less distinctly expressed, that true 
religion was to be extended to the Gentiles, and they therefore all include 
the promise of the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom to them as well 
as to the Jews. 

(10) And again. Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. This passage 
is commonly considered as quoted from Deut. 32 : 43, where it is found 
in the Septuagint precisely as it stands here. The Hebrew has, " praise 
his people, O ye Gentiles," at least according to the common reading ; 
according to some few MSS. the Hebrew expresses the same sense as the 
Septuagint. There is another difficulty in the way of supposing that this 
is a quotation from Deut. 32 : 43 ; the sacred writer is not there speaking 
of the blessing of the Jews being extended to the Gentiles, but seems 
lather in the whole context to be denouncing vengeance on them as the 
enemies of God's, people. Calvin and others, therefore, refer this citation 
to Ps. 67 : 3, 5, where the sentiment is clearly expressed though not ia 
precisely the same words. 

(11) And again praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles ; and laud him, all 



ROMANS 15: 1—13. 333 

ye people. This passage is from Ps. 117 : 1, and strictly to the apostle's 
purpose. 

(12) And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he 
thai shall rise to rule over the Gentiles ,• in him shall the Gentiles trust, 
Isa. 11 : 1,10. This is an explicit prediction of the dominion of the Mes- 
siah over other nations besides the Jews. Here again the apostle follows 
the Septuagint, giving however the sense of the original Hebrew. The 
promise of the prophet is, that from the decayed and fallen house of David 
one should arise whose dominion should embrace all nations, and in whom 
Gentiles as well as Jews should trust. In the fulfilment of this prophecy 
Christ came, and preached salvation to those who were near and to those 
who were far off. As both classes had been thus kindly received by the 
condescending Saviour, and united into one community, they should 
recognise and love each other as brethren, laying aside all censoriousness 
and contempt, neither judging nor despising one another. 

(13) Now then the God of hope Jill you with all joy and peace in 
believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy 
Ghost, Paul here, as in v. 5, concludes by praying that God would grant 
them the excellencies which it was their duty to possess. Thus constantly 
and intimately are the ideas of accountableness and dependence connected 
in the sacred scriptures. We are to work out our own salvation, because 
it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do, according to his good 
pleasure. The God of hope, i. e. God who is the author of that hope 
which it was predicted men should exercise in the root and offspring of 
Jesse. 

Fill you with all joy and peace in believing, i. e. fill you with that 
joy and concord among yourselves, as well as peace of conscience and 
peace towards God, which are the results of genuine faith. That ye may 
abound in hope. The consequence of the enjoyment of the blessings, and 
of the exercise of the graces just referred to, would be an increase in. the 
strength and joy fulness of their hope; through the power of the Holy 
Ghost, through whom all good is given and all good exercised. 

CHAP. 15: 14—33. 

**And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are 
full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one 
another. ^^Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto 
you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is 
given to me of God, *^that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the 
Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gen- 
tiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. ^''I have 
therefore, whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which 
pertain to God. ^^For I will not dare to speak of any of those things 
which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by 
word and deed, ^^through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of 



334 ROMANS 15: 14—33. 

the Spirit of God ; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, 
I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. ^"Yea, so have I strived to 
preach the g-ospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon 
another man's foundation : ^^but as it is written, To whom he was not 
spoken of, they shall see : and they that have not heard shall understand. 
^^For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. 
^^But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire 
these many years to come unto you; 24^hensoever I take my journey 
into Spain, I will come to you ; for I trust to see you in my journey, and 
to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled 
with your company, ^^But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the 
Baints. 2^For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Aehaia to make a 
certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. ^''It hath 
pleased them verily ; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles 
have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to 
minister unto them in carnal things. ^s^Yhen therefore I have performed 
this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. 
29And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness 
of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. ^'^Now I beseech you, brethren, 
for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye 
strive together with me in your prayers to God for me ; ^^that I may be 
delivered from them that do not believe in Judea ; and that my service 
which / have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints ; ^^that I may 
come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be 
refreshed, ^^^ovf the God of peace he with you all. Amen. 

ANALYSIS. 

The apostle, in the conclusion of his epistle, assures the Romans of his 
confidence in them, and that his motive for writing was not so much any 
idea of their peculiar deficiency, as the desire of putting them in mind 
of those things which they already knew, vs. 14, 15. This he was the 
rather entitled to do on account of his apostolic office conferred upon him 
by divine appointment, and confirmed by the signs and wonders and 
abundant success with which God had crowned his ministry, vs. 15, 16. 
He had sufficient ground of confidence in this respect, in the results of 
his own labours, without at all encroaching upon what belonged to others, 
for he had made it a rule not to preach where others had proclaimed the 
gospel, but to go to places where Christ was previously unknown, vs. 
17 — 21. His labours had been such as hitherto to prevent the execution 
of his purpose to visit Rome. Now, however, he hoped to have tha 
pleasure on his way to Spain, as soon as he had accomplished his mission 
to Jerusalem with the contributions of the Christians in Macedonia and 
Aehaia for the poor saints in Judea, vs. 22 — 28. Having acomplished 
this service, he hoped to visit Rome in the fulness of the blessing of the 
gospel of Christ. In the mean time he begs an interest in their prayers, 
and commends them to the grace of God, vs. 29—33. 



ROMANS 15: 14—33. 335 



COMMENTARY. 



(14) And I myself also am persuaded of you, my hreihren, that ye 
uho are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admo- 
msh one another. Paul with his wonted modesty and mildness, apolo- 
gizes, as it were, for the plainness and ardour of his exhortations. They 
were given from bo want of confidence in the Roman Christians ; and 
they were not an unwarrantable assumption of authority on his part. The 
former of these ideas he presents in this verse, and the latter in the next. 
That ye also are full of goodness, i. e. of kind and conciliatory feelings : 
and filled with all knowledge, i. e. abundantly instructed on these sub- 
jects, so as to be able to instruct or admonish each other. It was, there- 
fore, no want of confidence in their disposition or ability to discharge their 
duties, that led him to write to them ; his real motive he states in the 
next verse. 

(15) Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you, 
in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace given to 
me of God. It was rather to remind than to instruct them that the apos- 
tle wrote thus freely. The words in some sort may qualify the words 
more boldly, ' I have written somewhat too boldly.' How striking the 
blandness and humility of the great apostle ! The preceding exhorta- 
tions and instructions, for which he thus apologizes, are full of affection 
and heavenly wisdom. What a reproof is this for the arrogant and de- 
nunciatory addresses which so often are given by men who think they 
have Paul for an example ! These words (en some sort), however, may 
be connected with I have written ; the sense would then be, ' I have writ- 
ten in part (i. e. in some parts of my epistle) very boldly.' When a man 
acts the part of a monitor he should not only perform the duty properly, 
but he should, on some ground, have aright to assume this office. Paul, 
therefore, says that he reminded the Romans of their duty, because he 
was entitled to do so in virtue of his apostolical character; because of the 
grace given to me of God. Grace here, as appears from the context, 
signifies the apostleship, which Paul represents as a favour ; see ch. 1 : 5. 

(16) That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. 
This is the explanation of the grace given to him of God ; it was the 
favour of being a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. Compare 
Eph. 3 : 8, " Unto me, who am the least of all saints, is this grace given, 
that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of 
Christ." The word rendered minister means a public officer or servant ; 
see ch. 13 : 6, where it is applied to the civil magistrate. It is, how- 
ever, very frequently used (as is also the corresponding verb) of those 
who exercised the office of a priest, Deut. 10 : 8. Heb. 10 ; 11. As the 
whole of this verse is figurative, Paul no doubt had this force of the word 
in his mind when he called himself a minister, a sacred officer of Jesus 
Christ ; not a priest, in the proper sense of the term, for the ministers of 
the gospel are never so called in the New Testament, but merely in a 



336 ROMANS 15: 14—33. ' 

figurative sense. The sacrifice which they offer are the people, whom 
they are instrumental in bringing' unto God. 

Ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles 
might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. This is the 
apostle's explanation of the preceding clause. * He was appointed a 
minister of Christ to administer, or to act the part of a priest in reference 
to, the gospel, that is, to present the Gentiles as a holy sacrifice to God.«-' 
Paul, therefore, no more calls himself a priest, in the strict sense of the 
term, than he calls the Gentiles a sacrifice in the literal meaning of that 
word. Paul thus acted the part of a priest that the offering of the Gen- 
tiles might be acceptable. The word offering sometimes means the act 
of oblation, sometimes the thing offered. Our translators have taken it 
here in the former sense ; but this is not so suitable to the figure or the 
context. It was not Paul's act that was to be acceptable, or which was 
* sanctified by the Holy Spirit.' The latter sense of the word, therefore, 
is to be preferred ; and the meaning is, ' That the Gentiles, as a sacri- 
fice, might be acceptable;' see ch. 12:1. Phil. 2:17. 2Tim. 4:6. 
Being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. As the sacrifices were purified by 
water and other means, when prepared for the altar, so we are made fit 
for the service of God, rendered holy or acceptable, by the influences of 
the Holy Spirit. In this beautiful passage we see the nature of the only 
priesthood which belongs to the Christian ministry. It is not their office 
to make atonement for sin, or to offer a propitiatory sacrifice to God, but 
by the preaching of the gospel to bring men, by the influence of the Holy 
Spirit, to offer themselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to 
God. 

(17) / have therefore whereof to glory, through Jesus Christ, in those 
things which pertain to God. That is, ' seeing I have received this 
office of God, and am appointed a minister of the gospel to the Gentiles, 
I have ground of confidence and rejoicing.' As, in the previous verses, 
Paul had asserted his divine appointment as an apostle, he shows, in this 
and the following verses, that the assertion was well founded, as God 
had crowned his labours with success, and sealed his ministry with 
signs and wonders. He, therefore, was entitled, as a minister of God, 
to exhort and admonish his brethren with the boldness and authority 
which he had used in this epistle. This ground of boasting, however, 
he had only in or through Jesus Christ, all was to be attributed to him; 
and it was in reference to things pertaining to God, i. e. the preaching 
and success of the gospel, not to his personal advantages or worldly dis- 
tinctions. 

(18, 19) In these verses the apostle explains more fully what he had 
intended by saying he had ground of confidence or boasting. It was that 
God had borne abundant testimony to his claims as a divinely commis- 
sioned preacher of the gospel ; so that he had no need to refer to what 
others had done; he was satisfied to rest his claims on the results of his 
own labours, and the testimony of God. For I will not dare to speak 



ROMANS 15: 14—33. 337 

of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought hy me. That 
is, * I will not claim the credit due to others, or appeal to results which 1 
have not been instrumental in effecting.' It is to be remarked that the 
apostle represents himself as merely an instrument in the hands of Christ 
for the conversion of men ; the real efficiency he ascribes to the Re- 
deemer. This passage, therefore, exhibits evidence that Paul regarded 
Christ as still exercising a controlling agency over the souls of men, and 
rendering effectual the labours of his faithful ministers. Such power the 
sacred writers never attribute to any being but God. To make the Gen- 
tiles obedient, i. e. to the gospel ; compare ch. 1 : 5, where the same form 
of expression occurs. The obedience of which Paul speaks is the sin- 
cere obedience of the heart and life. This result he says Christ effected, 
through his instrumentality, hy word and deed, not merely by truth, but 
also by those means which Christ employed to render the truth effectual. 
What is to be understood by this expression, or how the truth was ren- 
dered effectual, is explained in the next verse. 

(19') Through mighty signs and tvonders, by the power of the Spirit 
of God, i. e. by miracles, and by the influences of the Holy Ghost. 
This passage is, therefore, analogous to that in 1 Cor. 2:4," My speech 
and preaching was not in the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in 
demonstration of the Spirit and of power." That is, he relied for suc- 
cess, not on his own sjiill or eloquence, but on the powerful demonstra- 
tion of the Spirit. This demonstration of the Spirit consisted partly in 
the miracles which he enabled the first preachers of the gospel to per- 
form, and partly in the influence with which he attended the truth to the 
hearts and consciences of those that believed ; see Gal. 3 : 2 — 5. Heb. 
2:4. 

So that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully 
preached the gospel of Christ. That is, I have been so aided and blessed 
of God, that throughout a most extensive region I have successfully 
preached the gospel. God had given his seal to Paul's apostleship by 
making him so abundantly useful. / have fully preached expresses, no 
doubt, the sense of the original, to bring the gospel (i. e. the preaching 
of it) to an end, to accomplish it thoroughly; see Col. 1 : 25. In this 
wide circuit had the apostle preached, founding churches, and advancing 
the Redeemer's kingdom with such evidence of the divine co-operation, 
as to leave no ground of doubt that he was a divinely appointed minister 
of Christ. 

(20, 21) In further confirmation of this point, Paul states that he had 
not acted the part of a pastor merely, but of an apostle or founder of the 
church, disseminating the gospel where it was before unknown, so that 
the evidence of his apostleship might be undeniable; compare 1 Cor. 9: 
2, " If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you ; for the 
seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord ;" and 2 Cor. 3 : 2, 3, Yea, so 
have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest 
I should build on another man^s foundation; that is, ' I have been desirous 

2F 



338 ROMANS 15: U— 33. 

of not preaching where Christ was before known, but in such a way as to 
accomplish the prediction that those who had not heard should under- 
stand.' The motive which influenced him in taking this course was, lest 
he should build upon another man* s foundation. This may mean either, 
lest I should appropriate to myself the result of other men's labours; or, 
lest I should act the part, not of an apostle (to which I was called), but 
of a simple pastor. 

(21) But^ as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall 
see; and they that have not heard shall understand. That is, I acted 
m the spirit of the prediction, that Christ should be preached where he 
had not been known. It had been foretold in Isa. 52 : 15, that Christ 
should be preached to the Gentiles, and to those who had never heard of 
his name ; it was in accordance with this prediction that Paul acted. 
There is, however, no objection to considering- this passage as merely an 
expression, in borrowed language, of the apostle's own ideas ; the mean- 
ing then is, ' I endeavoured to preach the gospel not where Christ was 
named, but to cause those to see to whom he had not been announced, 
and those to understand who had not heard.' This is in accordance with 
the apostle's manner of using the language of the Old Testament; see 
ch. 10: 15, 18. But as, in this case, the passage cited is clearly a pre- 
diction, the first method of explanation should probably be preferred. 

(22) For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming 
to you. That is, his desire to make Christ known where he had not been 
named, had long prevented his intended journey to Rome, where he knew 
the gospel had already been preached. 

(23) But now having no more place in these parts, and having a 
great desire these many years to come unto you, &c. The expression 
having no more place, in this connexion, would seem obviously to mean 
'having no longer a place in these parts where Christ is not known.' 
This idea is included in the declaration that he had fully preached the 
gospel in all that region. Others take the word rendered place to signify 
occasion, opportunity, ' Having no longer an opportunity of preaching 
here;' see Acts 25 : 16. Heb. 12 : 17. 

(24) Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I tvill come to you ,* 
for I trust to see you on my journey, and to be brought in my way 
thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. 
Whensoever, as soon as ; ' As soon as I take my journey,' &c. Whether 
Paul ever accomplished his purpose of visiting Spain is a matter of 
doubt. There is no historical record of his having done so, either in the 
New Testament or in the early ecclesiastical writers ; though most of 
those writers seem to have taken it for granted. His whole plan was 
probably deranged by the occurrences at Jerusalem, which led to his long 
imprisonment at Cesarea, and his being sent in bonds to Rome. To be 
brought on my way ; the original word means, in the active voice, to 
attend any one on a journey for some distance, as an expression of kind- 



ROMANS 15 : 14—33. 339 

ness and respect; and also to make provision for his journey ; see Acts 
15 : 3. 20 : 38. 1 Cor. 16:6. 2 Cor. 1 : 16. 

(25) But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints^ i. e, 
to supply the wants of the saints, distributing to them the contributions 
of the churches ; see Heb. 6:10; compare also Matt. 8 : 15. Mark 1 : 
31. Luke 4 : 39, in which places the word signifies to set foot before any 
one,- and, hence, more generally, to supply his necessities. 

(26, 27) For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Jlchaia to make 
a contribution for the poor, saints which are at Jerusalem. Having 
mentioned this fact, the apostle immediately seizes the opportunity of 
showing the reasonableness and duty of making these contributions. 
This he does in such a way as not to detract from the credit due to the 
Grecian churches, while he shows that it was but a matter of justice to 
act as they had done. It hath pleased them verily ; and their debtors 
they are, i.e. 'It pleased them / say, they did it voluntarily, yet it was 
but reasonable they should do it.' The ground of this statement is im- 
mediately added : For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their 
spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in carnal things. 
* If the Gentiles have received the greater good from the Jews, they may 
well be expected to contribute the lesser.' The word rendered to minister 
may have the general sense of serving ; or it may be used with some 
allusion to the service being a sacred duty, a kind of offering which is 
acceptable to God. 

(28) When, therefore, I have done this, and sealed unto them this fruit, 
I will come by you into Spain. The word sealed appears here to be 
used figuratively, 'When I have safely delivered this fruit to them.' 
Commentators compare the use of the Latin words consignare, consigna- 
tio, and of the English word consign. 

(29) And I am sure that when I come unto you, I shall come in the ful- 
ness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. The fulness of the blessing 
means the abundant blessing. Paul was persuaded that God, who had 
so richly crowned his labours in other places, would cause his visit to 
Rome to be attended by those abundant blessings which the gospel of 
Christ is adapted to produce. He had, in ch. 1 : 11, expressed his desire 
to visit the Roman Christians, that he might impart unto them some spi- 
ritual gift, to the end that they might be established. 

(30) Now I beseech you, brethren, for our Lord Jesus Chrisfs sake, 
and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your pray- 
ers to God for me. As the apostle was not immediately to see them, and 
knew that he would, in the mean time, be exposed to many dangers, he 
earnestly begged them to aid him with their prayers. He enforces this 
request by the tenderest considerations ; for our Lord Jesus Chrisfs 
sake, i. e. out of regard to the Lord Jesus ; ' "Whatever regard you have 
for him, and whatever desire to see his cause prosper in which 1 am 
engaged, let it induce you to pray for me.' And for the love of the Spirit, 
i. e. ' for that love of which the Holy Spirit is the author, and by which 



340 ROMANS 15: 14—33. 

he binds the hearts of Christians together, I beseech you,' &c. He ap 
peals, therefore, not only to their love of Christ, but to their love for hira 
self as a fellow Christian. That ye strive together with me, i. e. tha» 
ye aid me in my conflict by taking part in it. This they were to do bj 
their prayers. 

(31) That I may he delivered from them that do not believe in Judea. 
There are three objects for which he particularly wished them to pray» 
his safety, the successful issue of his mission, and that he might come to 
them with joy. How much reason Paul had to dread the violence of the 
unbelieving Jews, is evident from the history given of this visit to Jeru 
salem, in the Acts of the Apostles. They endeavoured to destroy his 
life, accused him to the Roman governor, and effected his imprisonment 
for two years in Cesarea, whence he was sent in chains to Rome. Nor 
were his apprehensions confined to the unbelieving Jews ; he knew that 
even the Christians there, from their narrowminded prejudices against 
him as a preacher to the Gentiles, and as the advocate of the liberty of 
Christians from the yoke of the Mosaic law, were greatly imbittered 
against him. He, therefore, begs the Roman believers to pray that the 
service which (he had) for Jerusalem might he accepted of the saints. 
The words service which I have, &c. means the contribution which I carry 
to Jerusalem ; see the use of this word in 2 Cor. 8:4. 9:1, 13. Paul 
laboured for those whom he knew regarded him with little favour ; he 
calls them saints, recognises their Christian character, notwithstanding 
their unkindness, and urges his brethren to pray that they might be will- 
ing to accept of kindness at his hands. 

(32) That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and 
that I may with you he refreshed. These words may depend upon the 
former part of the preceding verse, ' Pray that I may come ;' or, upon the 
latter part, ' Pray that I may be delivered from the Jews, and my contri- 
butions be accepted, so that I may come with joy,' &c. By the will of 
God, i. e. by the permission and favour of God. Paul seemed to look 
forward to his interview with the Christians at Rome, as a season of 
relief from conflict and labour. In Jerusalem he was beset by unbeliev- 
ing Jews, and harassed by Judaizing Christians; in most other places 
he was burdened with the care of the churches; but at Rome, which he 
looked upon as a resting-place rather than a field of labour, he hoped to 
gather strength for the prosecution of his apostolic labours in still more 
distant lands. 

(33) Now the peace of God be with you all. As he begged them to 
pray for him, so he prays for them. It is a prayer of one petition ; so full 
of meaning, however, that no other need be added. The peace of Gody 
that peace which God gives, includes all the mercies necessary for the 
perfect blessedness of the soul. 

DOCTRINES. 

1. The sacred scriptures are designed for men in all ages of the world, 
nd the the great source of religious knowledge and consolation, v. 4. 



ROMANS 15: 14—33. 341 

2. The moral excellencies which we are justly required to attain, and 
the consolations which we are commanded to seek in the use of appro- 
priate means, are still the gifts of God. There is, therefore, no incon- 
sistency between the d)ctrines of free agency and dependence, vs. 5, 13. 

3. Those are to be received and treated as Christians whom Christ 
himself has received. Men have no right to make terms of communion 
which Christ has not made, v. 7. 

4. There is no distinction under the gospel between the Jew and Gen- 
tile; Christ has received both classes upon the same terms and to the 
same privileges, vs. 8 — 12. 

5. The quotation of the predictions of the Old Testament by the sacred 
writers of the New, and the application of them in proof of their doctrines, 
involves an acknowledgment of the divine authority of the ancient pro- 
phets. And as these predictions are quoted indiscriminately from all 
parts of the Old Testament, it is evident that the apostles believed in the 
inspiration of all the books included in the sacred canon by the Jews, 
vs. 9—12. 

6. Christian ministers are not priests, i. e. they are not appointed to 
" offer gifts and sacrifices for sins." It is no part of their work to make 
atonement for the people ; this Christ has done by the one offering up of 
himself, whereby he has for ever perfected them that are sanctified, 
V. 16. 

7. The truth of the gospel has been confirmed by God, through mighty 
signs and wonders and the power of the Holy Ghost. Infidelity, there- 
fore, is a disbelief of the testimony of God. When God has given satis- 
factory evidence of the mission of his servants, the sin of unbelief is not 
relieved by the denial that the evidence is satisfactory. If the gospel is 
true, therefore, infidelity will be found not merely to be a mistake, but a 
crime, v. 19. 

8. The success of a minister in winning souls to Christ may be fairly 
appealed to as evidence that he preaches the truth. It is, when clearly 
ascertained, as decided an evidence as the performance of a miracle; 
because it is as really the result of a divine agency. This, however, 
like all other evidence, to be of any value, must be carefully examined 
and faithfully applied. The success may be real, and the evidence deci- 
sive, but it may be applied improperly. The same man may preach 
(and doubtless every uninspired man does preach) both truth and error ; 
God may sanction and bless the truth, and men may appeal to this bless- 
ing in support of the error. This is often done. Success, therefore, is of 
itself a very, difficult test for us to apply ; and must ever be held subject 
to the authority of the Scriptures. Nothing can prove that to be true 
which the Bible pronounces to be false, vs. 18, 19. 

9. Prayer (and even intercessory prayer) has a real and important effi- 
cacy ; not merely in its influence on the mind of him who offers it, but 
also in securing the blessings for which we pray. Paul directed the 
Roman Christians to pray for the exercise of the divine providence in pro- 

2 f2 



342 ROMANS 15: 14—33. 

tecting him from danger, and for the Holy Spirit to influence the minds 
of the brethren in Jerusalem. This he would not have done were such 
petitions of no avail, vs. 30, 31. 



1. The duty of a disinterested and kind regard to others in the exercise 
of our Christian liberty is one of the leading topics of this, as it is of the 
preceding chapter, vs. 1 — 13. 

2. The desire to please others should be wisely directed, and spring 
from right motives. We should not please them to their own injury, nor 
from the wish to secure their favour ; but for their good, that they may be 
odified, V. 2. 

3. The character and conduct of Jesus Christ are at once the most per- 
fect model of excellence and the most persuasive motive to obedience. 
The dignity of his person, the greatness of his condescension, the severity 
of his sufferings, the fervour of his love towards us, all combine to render 
his example effective in humbling us in view of our own short-comings, 
and in exciting us to walk even as he walked, vs. 4 — 13. 

4. We should constantly resort to the Scriptures for instruction and 
consolation. They were written for this purpose ; and we have no right 
to expect these blessings unless we use the means appointed for their 
attainment. As God, however, by the power of the Holy Ghost, works 
all good in us, we should rely neither on the excellence of the means nor 
the vigour and diligence of our own exertions, but on his blessing, which 
is to be sought by prayer, vs. 4, 5, 13. 

5. The dissensions of Christians are dishonourable to God. They 
must be of one mind, i. e. sincerely and affectionately united, if they 
would glorify their Father in heaven, vs. 5 — 7. 

6. A monitor or instructer should be full of goodness and knowledge. 
The human heart resists censoriousness, pride, and ill feeling in an 
admonis.her ; and is thrown into such a state by the exhibition of these 
evil dispositions, that the truth is little likely to do it any good. As oil 
poured on water smooths its surface, and renders it transparent ; so does 
kindness calm the minds of men, and prepares them for the ready entrance 
of the truth. Besides these qualifications, he who admonishes others 
should be entitled thus to act. It is not necessary that this title should 
rest on his official station ; but there should be superiority of some kind, 
of age, excellence, or knowledge, to give his admonitions due effect. 
Paul's peculiar modesty, humility, and mildness, should serve as an 
example to us, vs. 14, 15. 

7. We should be careful not to build improperly on another man's 
foundation. Pastors and teachers must of course preach Christ where he 
had before been known ; but they should not appropriate to themselves 
the results of the labours of others, or boast of things which Christ has 
not wrought by them. The man who reaps the harvest is not always he 
who sowed the seed. One plants and another waters, but God giveth the 






ROMANS 16: 1—27. 343 

increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he tha't 
watereth, but God that giveth the increase, vs. 19, 20. 

8. It is the duty of those who have the means to contribute to the ne- 
cessities of others, and especially to the wants of those from whom they 
themselves have received good, vs. 26, 27. 

9. The fact that men are prejudiced against us is no reason why we 
should not do them good. The Jewish Christians were ready to de- 
nounce Paul, and to cast out his name as evil ; yet he collected contri- 
butions for them, and was very solicitous that they should accept of his 
services, v. 31. 

10. Danger is neither to be courted nor fled from ; but encountered 
with humble trust in God, v. 31. 

11. We should pray for others in such a way as really to enter into 
their trials and conflicts ; and believe that our prayers, when sincere, 
are a real and great assistance to them. It is a great blessing to have an 
interest in the prayers of the righteous. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

CONTENTS. 

In this concluding chapter Paul first commends to the church at Rome 
the deaconess Phebe, vs. 1, 2. He then sends his salutations to many 
members of the church, and other Christians who were then at Rome, 
vs. 3 — 16. He earnestly exhorts his brethren to avoid those who cause 
contentions ; and, after commending their obedience, he prays for God's 
blessing upon them, vs. 17 — 21. Salutations from the apostle's com^- 
panions, vs. 22 — 24. The concluding doxology, vs. 25 — 27. 

CHAP. 16: 1—27. 

*I commend unto you Phebe, our sister, which is a servant of the church 
which is at Cenchrea: ^that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh 
saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of 
you : for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. ^Greet 
Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus : *who have for my 
life laid down their own necks : unto whom not only I give thanks, but 
also all the churches of the Gentiles. ^Likewise greet the church that is 
in their house. Salute my well beloved Epenetus, who is the first-fruits 
of Achaia unto Christ. ^Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. 
''Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, 
who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 
®Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord. ^Salute Urbane, our helper in 






344 ROMANS 16: 1—27. 

Christ, and Stachys my beloved. ^^Salute Apelles, approved in Christ, 
Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household. "^^Salute Herodion 
my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus which 
are in the Lord. ^^Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in tne 
Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord. 
^^Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. **Salute 
Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which 
are with them. ^'^Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, 
and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. ^^Salute one 
another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. '^''Now 
1 beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences 
contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned ; and avoid them. ^^For 
they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly ; 
and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 
=^^For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore 
on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good 
and simple concerning evil. ^"And the God of peace shall bruise Satan 
under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ he with 
you. Amen. ^iTimotheus my work-fellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and 
Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. ^^I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, 
salute you in the Lord. ^sQ^ius mine host, and of the whole church, 
saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and 
Quartus a brother. ^*'V\iq grace of our Lord Jesus Christ he with you 
all. Amen. ^^Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to 
my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revela- 
tion of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, ^^hnX 
now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according 
to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations 
for the obedience of faith : ^^^to God only wise, he glory through Jesus 
Christ for ever. Amen. 

COMMENTARY. 

(1) / commend unto you Phehe our sister, which is a servant of the 
church which is at Cenchrea. Corinth, being situated on a narrow isth- 
mus, had two ports, one towards Europe, and the other towards Asia. 
The latter was called Cenchrea, where a church had been organized, of 
which Phebe was a servant, i. e. deaconess. It appears that in the apos- 
tolic church elderly females were selected to attend upon the poor and 
sick of their own sex. Many ecclesiastical writers suppose there were 
two classes of these female officers ; the one (corresponding, in some 
measure, in their duties to the elders) having the oversight of the con- 
duct of the younger female Christians; and the other whose duty was to 
attend to the sick and the poor. 

(2) That ye receive her in the Lord. The words in the Lord may 
be connected either with receive, ' receive her in a religious manner, and 
from religious motives ;' or with the pronoun, her in the Lord, her as a 



ROMANS 16: 1—27. 345 

Christian. The apostle presents two considerations to enforce this ex- 
hortation ; first, regard for their Christian character; and, secondly, the 
service which Phebe had rendered to others. As hecometh saints ,• this 
expression at once describes the manner in which they ought to receive 
her, and suggests the motive for so doing. And that ye assist her in 
whatsoever business she hath 7ieed of you. They were not only to receive 
her with courtesy and affection, but to aid her in any way in which she 
required their assistance. The words in whatsoever business are to be 
taken very generally, in whatever matter, or in whatever respect. For 
she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also. The word sue- 
courer means a patroness, a benefactor ; it is a highly honourable title. 
As she had so frequently aided others, it was but reasonable that she 
should be assisted. 

(3) Salute Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus, i. e. my 
fellow labourers in the promotion of the gospel. Aquila and Priscilla 
are mentioned in Acts 18 : 2, as having left Rome in consequence of the 
edict of Claudius. After remaining at Ephesus a long time, it seems 
that they had returned to Rome, and were there when Paul wrote this 
letter, Acts 18 : 18, 26. 1 Cor. 16 ; 19. 2 Tim. 4 : 19. 

(4) Who have for my life laid down their own necks, i. e. they ex- 
posed themselves to imminent peril to save me. On what occasion this 
was done is not recorded. Unto whom not only I give thanks, but 
also all the churches of the Gentiles. Their courageous and disinterested 
conduct must have been generally known, and called forth the grateful 
acknowledgments of all the churches interested in the preservation of a 
life so precious as that of the apostle. 

(5) The church that is in their house. These words are understood, 
by many of the Greek and modern commentators, to mean their Chris- 
tian family. The most common and natural interpretation is, ' the 
church which is accustomed to assemble in their house ;' see 1 Cor. 16: 
19, where this same expression occurs in reference to Aquila and Pris- 
cilla. It is probable that, from his occupation as tent maker, he had 
better accommodations for the meetings of the church than most other 
Christians. 

Salute my well beloved Epeneius, who is the first-fruits of Achaia 
unto Christ. This passage is not irreconcilable with 1 Cor. 16 : 15, 
" Ye know the household of Stephanas, that it is the first-fruits of 
Achaia ;" for Epenetus may have belonged to this family. So many of 
the oldest MSS. and versions, however, read Asia instead oi Achaia in 
this verse, that the great majority of editors have adopted that reading. 
This, of course, removes even the appearance of contradiction. 

(6, 7) Greet Mary ; who bestowed much labour upon us. Salute An- 

dronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. It is very 

doubtful whether Junia be the name of a man or of a woman, as the form 

in which it occurs (^lowiav) admits of either explanation. If a man's 

ame, it is Junias ; if a woman's, it is Junia. It is commonly taken as a 



346 ROMANS 16; 1—27. 

female name, and the person intended is supposed to have been the wift 
or sister of Andronicus. My kinsmen^ i. e. relatives, and not merely of 
the same nation; at least there seems no sufficient reason for taking the 
word in this latter general sense. Fellow prisoners. Paul, in 2 Cor. 
11: 23, vp-hen enumerating his labours, says, "In stripes above mea- 
sure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft," &c. He was, therefore, 
often in bonds (Clemens Romanus, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, 
sec. 5, says seven times) ; he may, therefore, have had numerous fellow 
prisoners. Who are of note among the apostles. This may mean either, 
they were distinguished apostles ; or, they were highly respected by the 
apostles. The latter is most probably the correct interpretation, 1. Be- 
cause the word apostle^ unless connected with some other word, as in the 
phrase " messengers (apostles) of the churches," is very rarely applied 
in the New Testament to any other than the original messengers of Jesus 
Christ. The word has a fixed meaning, from which we should not 
depart without special reason. 2. Because the article, among the apos- 
tles, seems to point out the definite well-known class of persons almost 
exclusively so called. 3. The original, of course, admits this interpre- 
tation ; it is the simple meaning of the words. Who also were in Christ 
hefore we, i. e. who were Christians before me. 

(8 — 15) My beloved in the Lord. The preposition in here, as fre- 
quently elsewhere, points out the relation or respect in which the word 
to which it refers is to be understood ; brother beloved both in the flesh 
and in the Lord,, Phil. 5:16, both in reference to our external relations, 
and our relation to the Lord. And thus in the following, v. 9, our helper 
in Christ,, i. e. as it regards Christ; v. 10, approved in Christ,, i. e. in 
his relation to Christ; an approved or tried Christian ; v. 12, who labour 
in the Lord ; and, which laboured Tnuch in the Lord,, i. e. who, as it re- 
gards the Lord, laboured much; it was a Christian or religious service. 
The names Tryphena, Tryphosa,, and Persis are all feminine. The last 
is commonly supposed to indicate the native country of the person who 
bore it, as it was not unusual to name persons from the place of their 
origin, as Mysa, Syria, Lydia,, Andria,, &c. ; such names, however, soon 
became common, and were given without any reference to the birth-place 
of those who received them. Chosen in the Lord, i. e. either one chosen 
by the Lord ; or, as is most probable in this connexion, chosen (i. e. ap- 
proved, precious ; see 1 Pet. 2 : 4), in his relation to the Lord, as a 
Christian. 

(16) Salute one another with a holy kiss. Reference to this custom 
is made also in 1 Cor. 16 : 20. iThess. 5 : 26. 1 Pet. 5 : 14. It is sup- 
posed to have been of oriental origin, and continued for a longtime in 
the early churches ; after prayer, and especially before the celebration 
of the Lord's supper, the brethren saluting in this way the brethren, and 
the sisters the sisters. This salutation was expressive of mutual aflfec- 
tion and equality before God. 

(17) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions 



ROMANS 16: 1—27. 347 

mid offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid 
them. While he urges them to the kind reception of all faithful minis- 
ters and Christians, he enjoins upon them to have nothing to do with 
those who cause divisions and offences. There were probably two evils 
in the apostle's mind when he wrote this passage ; the divisions occa- 
sioned by erroneous doctrines, and the offences or scandals occasioned 
by the evil conduct of the false teachers. Almost all the forms of error 
which distracted the early church, were intimately connected with prac- 
tical evils of a moral character. This was the case, to a certain extent, 
with the Judaizers ; who not only disturbed the church by insisting on 
the observance of the Mosaic law, but also pressed some of their doc- 
trines to an immoral extreme. See 1 Cor. 5 : 1 — 5. It was still more 
obviously the case with those errorists, infected with a false philosophy, 
who are described in Col. 2 : 10—23. 1 Tim. 4 : 1—8. These evils 
were equally opposed to the doctrines taught by the apostle. Those 
who caused these dissensions Paul commands Christians, first, to mark, 
i. e. to notice carefully, and not allow them to pursue their corrupting 
course unheeded ; and, secondly, to avoid, i. e. to break off connexion 
with them. 

(19) For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their 
own belly ,• and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of 
the simple. These men are to be avoided, because they are wicked and 
injurious. The description here given is applicable, in a greater degree, 
to errorists in all ages. They are not actuated by zeal for the Lord 
Jesus ; they are selfish, if not sensual ; and they are plausible and de- 
ceitful. Compare Phil. 3 : 18, 19. 2 Tim. 3 : 5, 6. The words rendered 
good words and fair speeches do not in this connexion materially differ. 
They express that plausible and flattering address by which false teach- 
ers are wont to secure an influence over the simple. The w or A simple 
signifies not merely innocent, but unwary, he who is liable to deception. 
(Prov. 14 : 15, the simple believe every thing.) 

(20) For your obedience is come abroad unto all men, &c. This 
clause admits of two interpretations ; the word obedience may express 
either their obedience to the gospel, their faith (see ch. 1 : 8), or their obe- 
dient disposition, their readiness to follow the instructions of their reli- 
gious teachers. If the former meaning be adopted, the sense of the 
passage is this, ' Ye ought to be on your guard against these false teach- 
ers, for, since your character is so high, your faith being every where 
spoken of, it would be a great disgrace and evil to be led astray by them.' 
If the latter meaning be taken, the sense is, ' It is the more necessary 
that you should be on your guard against these false teachers, because 
your ready obedience to your divine teachers is so great and generally 
known. This, in itself, is commendable, but I would that you joined 
prudence with your docilit5\' This latter view is, on account of the con- 
cluding part of the verse, most probably the correct one; see 2 Cor. 
10: 6. Phil. v. 21. 



348 ROMANS 16: 1—27. 

/ am glad, therefore, on your hehalf ; hut yet I would have you 
wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. That is, 

* Simplicity (an unsuspecting docility) is indeed g-ood ; but I would have 
you not only simple but prudent. You must not only avoid doing evil, 
but be careful that j^'ou do not suffer evil.' Grotius' explanation is pe- 
culiarly happy, ' so prudent as not to be deceived ; and so good as not to 
deceive.' The word simple means unmixed, pure, and then harmless. 

* Wise as to good, but simple as to evil ;' or, ' wise so that good may 
result, and simple so that evil may not be done.' This latter is proba- 
bly the meaning. Paul would have them so wise as to know how to 
take care of themselves ; and yet harmless. 

(20) ^nd the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ he with you. Amen. As the evils 
produced by the false teachers were divisions and scandals, the apostle, 
in giving them the assurance of the effectual aid of God, calls him the 
God of -peace, i. e. God who is the author of peace in the comprehen- 
sive scriptural sense of that term. Shall hruise is not a prayer, but a 
consolatory declaration that Satan should be trodden under foot. As 
Satan is constantly represented as " working in the children of disobe- 
dience," the evil done by them is sometimes referred to him as the insti- 
gator, and sometimes to the immediate agents who are his willing in- 
struments. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ he with you. This 
is a prayer for the favour and aid of Christ, and of course is an act of 
worship, and a recognition of the Saviour's divinity. 

(21 — 24) These verses contain the salutations of the apostle's com- 
panions to the Roman Christians, and a repetition of the prayer just 
mentioned. / Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord, 
Tertius was Paul's amanuensis. The apostle seldom wrote his epistles 
with his own hand ; hence he refers to the fact of having himself written 
the letter to the Galatians as something unusual; Gal. 6: 11, "Ye see 
how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand." In 
order to authenticate his epistles, he generally wrote himself the saluta- 
tion or benediction at the close; 1 Cor. 16: 21, "The salutation of 
me Paul, with mine own hand ;" 2 Thess. 3 : 17, " The salutation of 
Paul with mine own hand ; which is the token in every epistle : so I 
write." Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, i. e. Gains, who 
not only entertains me, but Christians generally ; or, in whose house 
the congregation is accustomed to assemble. Erastus the chamberlain 
of the city (^oikov6ho^), the treasurer of the city, the quaestor. 

(25 — 27) These verses contain the concluding doxology. Now to 
him that is of power to establish you, according to my gospel and the 
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, 
&c. To him that is able to establish you, i. e. to render you firm and 
constant, to keep you from falling. According to my gospel. The word 
rendered according to may be variously explained. It is by many taken 
for /w, ' establish you in my gospel ;' but this the proper meaning of the 



ROMANS 16:' 1—27. 349 

words will hardly allow. 2. It may be rendered agreeably to my gospel, 
n such a manner as my gospel requires ; or, 3. Through.^ i. e. by means 
of the gospel. The second interpretation is perhaps the best. And the 
preaching of Jesus Christ. This may mean either ' Christ's preach- 
ing;' or *the preaching concerning Christ;' either interpretation gives 
a good sense, the gospel being both a proclamation by Christ, and con- 
cerning Christ. The apostle dwells upon this idea, and is led into a 
description and commendation of the gospel. According to the revela- 
tion of the mystery. These words may be considered as co-ordinate 
with the preceding clause ; the sense then is, ' "Who is able to establish 
you agreeably to (or through) my gospel, agreeably to (through) the 
revelation of the mystery,' &c. It is, however, more common and natu- 
ral to consider this clause as subordinate and descriptive. ' The gospel 
is a revelation of the mystery which had been hid for ages.' The word 
mystery, according to the common scriptural sense of the term, does not 
mean something obscure or incomprehensible, but simply something 
previously unknown, and undiscoverable by human reason, and which, 
if known at all, must be known by a revelation from God ; see ch. 11 : 
25. According to this passage, Paul speaks of the gospel as something 
<* which had been kept secret since the world began ;" i. e. hidden from 
eternity in the divine Mind. It is not a system of human philosophy, or 
the result of human investigation, but it is a revelation of the purpose of 
God. Paul often presents the idea that the plan of redemption was 
formed from eternity, and is such as no eye could discover, and no heart 
conceive, 1 Cor. 2 : 7—9. Col. 1 : 26. 

(26) But is now made manifest, and by the scriptures of the pro- 
phets ; that is, ' this gospel or mystery, hidden from eternity, is now 
revealed ; not now for the first time, indeed, since there are so many 
intimations of it in the prophecies of the Old Testament.' It is evident 
that the apostle adds the words and by the scriptures of the prophets to 
avoid having it supposed that he overlooked the fact that the plan of 
redemption was taught in the Old Testament; compare ch. 1 : 2. 3 : 21. 
According to the command of the everlasting God, that is, this gospel 
is now made manifest by command of God. Paul probably uses the 
expression everlasting God, because he had just before said that the gos- 
pel was hid from eternity, * It is now revealed by that eternal Being in 
whose mind the wonderful plan was formed, and by whom alone it could 
be revealed.' Made known to all nations for the obedience of faith, 
' Made known among all nations.' For the obedience of faith, i. e. that 
they should become obedient to the faith ; see ch. 1 : 5. This gospel, 
so long concealed, or but partially revealed in the ancient prophets, is 
now, by the command of God, to be made known among all nations. 

(27) To the only wise God be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. 
Amen. There is an ambiguity in the original which is not retained in 
our version. * To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be 
glory for ever.' The construction adopted by our translators is perhaps 

2G 



350 ROMANS 16: 1—27. 

the one most generally approved. « To him that is able to establish you 
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory.' In this case the 
relative to whom, in v. 27, is pleonastic. Others explain the passage 
thus, 'To the only vrise God, made known through Jesus Christ, to 
whom (i. e. Christ) be glory for ever.' The former construction appears 
the more natural. As Paul often calls the gospel the " wisdom of God" 
in contrast with the wisdom of men, he here, when speaking of the plan 
of redemption as the product of the divine Mind, and intended for all 
nations, addresses his praises to its author as the only wise God, as that 
Being whose wisdom is so wonderfully displayed in the gospel, and ia 
all his other works, that he alone can be considered truly wise. 

REMARKS. 

1. It is the duty of Christians to receive kindly their brethren, and to 
aid them in every way within their power, and to do this from religious! 
motives, and in a religious manner; as becometh saints, vs. 1, 2. 

2. The social relations in which Christians stand to each other as re- 
latives, countrymen, friends, should not be allowed to give character to 
their feelings and conduct, to the exclusion of the more important rela- 
tion which they bear to Christ. It is as friends, helpers, fellow labour- 
ers in the Lord, that they are to be recognised ; they are to be received 
in the Lord ; our common connexion with Christ is ever to be borne in 
mind, and made to modify all our feelings and conduct, vs. 3 — 12. 

2. From the beginning females have taken an active and important 
part in the promotion of religion. Tliey seem more than others to have 
contributed to Christ of their substance ; they were his most faithful 
attendants, * last at the cross, and first at the sepulchre ;' Phebe was a 
servant of the church, a succourer of Paul and of many others ; Tryphe- 
na, Tryphosa, and Persis laboured much in the Lord, vs. 1, 2, 3, 6, 12. 

4. It does not follow, because a custom prevailed in the early churches, 
and received the sanction of the apostles, that we are obliged to follow it. 
Tliese customs often arose out of local circumstances and previous habits, 
or were merely conventional modes of expressing certain feelings, and 
were never intended to be made universally obligatory. As it was com- 
mon in the east (and is so, to a great extent, at present, not only there, 
but on the continent of Europe) to express affection and confidence by 
' the kiss of peace,' Paul exhorts the Roman Christians to salute one 
another with a holy kiss ; i. e. to manifest their Christian love to each 
other according to the mode to which they were accustomed. The exer- 
cise and manifestation of the feeling, but not the mode of its expression, 
are obligatory on us. This is but one example ; there are many other 
things connected with the manner of conducting public worship, and 
with the administration of baptism and the Lord's supper, common in 
the apostolic churches, which have gone out of use. Christianity is a 
living principle, and was never intended to be confined to one unvarying 
set of forms, v. 16. 



ROMANS 16: 1—27. 351 

5. It is the duty of Christians to be constantly watchful over the peace 
and purity of the church, and not to allow those who cause divisions and 
scandals, by departing from the true doctrines, to pursue their course 
unnoticed. With all such we should break off every connexion which 
either sanctions their opinions and conduct, or gives thera facilities for 
*<recting evil, v. 17. 

6. False teachers have ever abounded in the church. All the apostles 
were called upon earnestly to oppose them. "Witness the epistles of 
Paul, John, Peter, and James. No one of the apostolical epistles is 
silent upon this subject. Good men may indeed hold erroneous doc- 
trines ; but the false teachers, the promoters of heresy and divisions, as 
a class, are characterized by Paul as not influenced by a desire to serve 
Christ, but as selfish in their aims, and plausible, flattering, and deceit- 
ful in their conduct, v. 18. 

7. Christians should unite the harmlessness of the dove with the wis- 
dom of the serpent. They should be careful neither to cause divisions 
or scandals themselves, nor allow others to deceive and beguile them 
into evil, v. 19. 

8. However much the church may be distracted and troubled, error 
and its advocates cannot finally prevail. Satan is a conquered enemy 
with a lengthened chain ; God will ultimately bruise him under the feet 
of his people, v. 20. 

9. The stability which the church and every Christian should main- 
tain is a steadfastness, not in forms or matters of human authority, but 
in the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ. God alone is able thus 
to make his people stand; and, therefore, we should look to him and 
depend upon him for our own preservation, and the preservation of the 
church ; and ascribe to him, and not to ourselves, all glory and thanks, 
vs. 25, 27. 

10. The gospel is a mystery, i. e. a system of truth beyond the power 
of the human mind to discover, which God has revealed for our faith 
and obedience. It was formed from eternity in the divine Mind, revealed 
by the prophets and apostles, and the preaching of Jesus Christ; and is 
by the command of God to be made known to all nations, vs. 25, 26. 

11. God alone is wise. He charges his angels with folly; and the 
wisdom of men is foolishness with him. To God, therefore, the pro- 
foundest reverence and the most implicit submission are due. Men 
should not presume to call in question what he has revealed, or consider 
themselves competent to sit in judgment on the truth of his declarations, 
or the wisdom of his plans. To God only wise, be glory through 
Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. 

The subscriptions to this and the other epistles were not added by the sacred 
writers, but appended by some later and unknown persons. This is evident, 
1. Because it cannot be supposed that the apostles would thus formally state (as 
m this case) what those to whom their letters were addressed must have already 



B^'i 



ROMANS 16 : 1—27. 



known. The Romans had no need to be informed that this epistle was sent by 
Phebe, if she actually delivered it to them. 2. They are frequently incorrect, 
and at times contradict the statements made in the epistles to which they are ap- 
pended. Thus the subscription to the first Epistle to the Corinthians states that 
it was written from Philippi, whereas Paul, ch. 16 : 8, speaks of himself as being 
in Ephesus when he was writing. 3. They are either left out entirely by the 
oldest and best manuscripts and versions, or appear in very different forms. In 
the present case many MSS. have no subscription at all ; others simply, " To the 
Romans ;" others, " To the Romans, written from Corinth ;" others, " Written to 
the Romans from Corinth by Phebe ;" &c. &c. These subscriptions, therefore, 
are of no other authority than as evidence of the opinion which prevailed, to a 
certain extent, at an early date as to the origin of the epistles to which they are 
attached. Unless confirmed from other sources they cannot be relied upon. 



THE END. 



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